Bright Feather
by Fireblade K'Chona
Summary: Undergoing a HUGE rewrite. Which is epic. And will probably take a loooong time. Sorry.
1. Divebomb!

Disclaimer: Yee! I don' own! Except the characters. And the plot.  
  
I know, I know, I really should work on other ficcies. But my muses aren't cooperating. Except Rrissa, at the moment.  
  
I should actually be working on my Science homework, but I don't care.  
  
Muse responsible: Rrissa!  
  
And my charrie's name is Liluye, which is Native American for Singing Hawk while Soaring. I just thought it sounded cool. She's 17. And she lives in Rethwellan, near the Pelagiris. Actually, it wouldn't take her that long to stumble into Hawkbrother territory-maybe a day or two. And this is a coupla years before Oathbound.  
  
--------------------------------------------  
  
I whistled while I shouldered my pack, ready to leave my family's little farm for some adventure.  
  
[Maybe I'll go join a merc Company...nah, I want to see the world first!]  
  
I settled the pack with a quick twist, and waved goodbye to my family.  
  
[Think I'll go west.]  
  
I consulted my compass, then hiked over a ridge and out of sight of my family.  
  
I hiked several miles in silence. The forest whispered around me. "Always knew there was strange stuff roundabouts..." I muttered to no one.  
  
To shed my uneasiness, I began to sing, first unsteadily, then growing more confident. Soon, I was absorbed in a longwinded love ballad, occasionally breaking down laughing when it grew particularly sappy.  
  
I heard a hawk scream above. I looked up instantly and saw-  
  
A hawk-eagle, larger than I had ever seen in my life, was diving at me.  
  
Instantly, I shrank down and huddled against the ground, hoping it would pull up and away.  
  
Then, I saw talons on the ground ahead of me. I looked up very slightly and saw a bright golden eye staring quizzically at me.  
  
I scrambled backward, afraid my eyes were going to be gone within moments.  
  
The hawk-eagle hopped forward, its crest rising a bit.  
  
[What-the-nine-hells-is-going-ON?] I thought to no one.  
  
The hawk-eagle chirped.  
  
Chirped. I'd never heard a raptor chirp.  
  
Gently, it reached forward and nibbled at my bootlace.  
  
"Aungah?" I managed to squeak.  
  
The hawk-eagle looked up and me. Shortly afterwards, I received the biggest shock of my life.  
  
:I Kree! You be my friend, yes?:  
  
-----------------------------------------------  
  
I bet you're wondering just what happened too.  
  
No, Liluye is not a Hawkbrother. She's heard vague legends of them, but that's about it.  
  
Kree's a male crested hawk-eagle. He's pretty young, so he'll get smarter- remember Hylarr?  
  
And I'll leave you there. At least I didn't prolong it for 16 chappies like in Kamaria...  
  
BTW, Krathnae, help me on Kamaria now, or your feathery butt will be kicked into November!  
  
~Fireblade K'Chona 


	2. I Kree!:

Disclaimer: I don't own! Except the charries and the plot!  
  
I left you hanging...*mischievous grin*  
  
Liluye is so confoozled...  
  
Muse responsible: Rrissa!  
  
---------------------------------------  
  
I blinked at Kree.  
  
For a long time.  
  
:Friend? Bondmate?:  
  
"Are you-are you one of the Hawkbrother's birds?" I managed to sputter.  
  
I could almost smell Kree's indignation. :You not Tayledras! You you! You my bondmate! I not Tayledras! I free!:  
  
[Oh my precious gods. I have a rebellious bondbird here...]  
  
"Um...ok?"  
  
:Good. Bondmate, mine.: Kree nuzzled his head against my hand.  
  
I scratched his crest absently.  
  
:That good.: Kree nearly purred.  
  
"What am I going to do with you?" I asked, tiredly.  
  
:I want world! Mama bonded to mage. Boring boring boring. Adventure, me! World, me!: Kree bounced up and down.  
  
"Um...so your mother is a bondbird to a Hawkbrother, you got bored, and left? But why did you bond to me?"  
  
Kree tilted his head. :Vale boringboring. I leave, lonely, find you. You not go to Vale, yes?:  
  
"I guess not. So you're bored and want to see the world?"  
  
:Not-bright! Vale boring! I leave! I lonely! Adventure, me!: Kree explained this impatiently, as if I was a little.  
  
[Well, on a level, I AM acting like one...]  
  
On an impulse, I decided to accept. "OK. Come with me. We'll tackle the world together, all right?"  
  
Kree bounced again, his crest rising, chirping again. :Yesyes! You walk, I fly, we see world, not lonely!:  
  
I rose to my feet, then hesitantly held out my arm. Kree hopped onto it-I staggered-then launched himself into the air. His red-chestnut-gold wings caught the sunlight, making him seem to be made of fire for an instant, then he turned and circled over me.  
  
:Gogo! To sunrise!:  
  
Obediently, I turned east. [Well, why would I argue with something that has claws and beak that big? I'm going to need some equipment...]  
  
------------------------------------------------  
  
Eep, still short. Sorries! Next one will get it moving!  
  
And as a side note, Liluye is pretty good with a bow and can use a long knife. Not that she'll need much defense with Mr. Sharpclaw around...  
  
Pie to reviewers!  
  
Vreader: Thankees! Have pie!  
  
Darkfyre: Actually, Kree's maybe a year old. Considering that hawk-eagle bondbirds can live to be 75, that's young. And my annoying gryphon muse is hiding. Soon as I post this, I'm going to HUNT HIM DOWN! Grrrr. And Bolt, be good or I'll have Liluye set Kree on you!  
  
Cerulean Sky: Well, Kree has a mind of his own and left the Vale because he was bored and didn't really like any of the Hawkbrothers there. But yes, she's close to Hawkbrother territory. Except Mr. Sharpclaws is going to steer her away...  
  
Kierseth: Thanks. I pronounce it Lil (as in Lily) oo yuh. You can pronounce it different if you want. 


	3. Here we go!

Disclaimer: I don't own except the charries and the plot.  
  
And I'm working as hard on this as I can while I still have inspiration. Striking while the iron is hot, and all that.  
  
Sorries, Darkfyre, but Krathnae's feathery butt is still hiding. He'd better be writing up the next thing on Kamaria. *looks dangerous*  
  
Chaesa: You wish.  
  
Blade: You're in the wrong story! Go work on Shadows of Shadows!  
  
Chaesa: *raises eyebrow and vanishes*  
  
Muse responsible: Rrissa  
  
And this is a coupla days after. They've gotten out of the Pelagirs and Liluye has "hawk furniture" which means jess holders (used to tie light packages to a bondbird's feet) an arm gauntlet, a basic first-aid kit, an imping kit, and a staff that Lil braces across her shoulders for Kree to sit on.  
  
And Lil has accepted Kree, even though she's still pretty bemused, and she's figured out how to talk to him in Mindspeech.  
  
-------------------------------------------------  
  
:Kree?: I called up towards the sky.  
  
:?:  
  
:Can you get supper?:  
  
:!:  
  
Kree dove at something just to the side of the path, striking a rabbit out of the bush and snapping its spine.  
  
"Great catch!" I shouted.  
  
Kree preened a bit, then hopped over to get a launch off my arm.  
  
After a few days together, we had worked out a system. Kree would catch dinner, and I would give him a nice long crest-scratch and a treat.  
  
:Enough for bondmate?: asked Kree, bobbing his head to catch my eye.  
  
:This is good. You go catch your own supper, then I'll scratch your crest.:  
  
:!: said Kree, happily, as I launched him.  
  
I picked up the rabbit, chuckling a little. [Funny, I've always heard of the fierce Hawkbrothers and their fiercer birds, but Kree-he's like a little, always ready to do anything for a treat. And it doesn't hurt that I scratch his crest.]  
  
I turned off the trail and built a fire-after several mishaps, I had finally picked up the knack.  
  
Skinning the rabbit, she set aside the entrails and head-Kree liked the brain-and spitted it. Waiting for the fire to grow, I mounded some dirt and rocks into a makeshift perch.  
  
A surge of blood-lust coursed down the bond, and I shifted slightly. [I almost got caught that first time...won't make that mistake again.]  
  
At last, the fire was large enough. I propped the spit against a forked stick, turning it as it cooked.  
  
:Watch head, bondmate!: called Kree in warning.  
  
I ducked my head to the side as Kree carefully winged to the perch.  
  
:Treat?: he inquired, tilting his head almost upside down.  
  
I gave him the entrails and head before returning to my own supper.  
  
I ate the rabbit, watching the stars appear. [Wonder what I'll do next. Wandering alone was palatable for a while...but I'm starting to get lonely, even with Kree. In a way, he emphasizes it, since he's not even human...]  
  
:Bondmate lonely?:  
  
:A bit, featherhead.:  
  
:Heads good. Inside-heads better.:  
  
:Your head, Kree, your head!:  
  
:My head wrong?: Kree tried to peer at his own head, resulting only in some fascinating head-positions.  
  
:...nevermind. Nothing wrong with your head.:  
  
Kree gave up trying to see his own head and went back to his treat.  
  
[Maybe that notion I had of joining a merc Company isn't so farfetched. I mean, by myself I might not get in, but with birdbrain over there...he's a born fighter. Except that one little problem of arrows-but for a strike- and-run, he'd be perfect.]  
  
:Think too much. Head will hurt.: admonished Kree.  
  
I snorted.  
  
Lapsing into silence, I stared at the sky, picking out constellations.  
  
"Kree?"  
  
:?:  
  
"How would you like to be a fighter?"  
  
:Fight? Fight humans?: Kree sounded a bit doubtful.  
  
"Yes, humans. But the fighters I'm thinking of joining travel a lot, and we could see the world that way-but protected, instead of wandering on our own." I tried to phrase everything simply.  
  
Kree thought for a bit, preening a wing.  
  
:Yes. But when bored, we leave, right?:  
  
"When bored, we leave. And I'll seal it with-" I reached over and scratched Kree's crest. He chirred and leaned his head into my hand.  
  
-----------------------------------------------------------  
  
Awww...they're bonding good now!  
  
Reviewerthanking! Blackberry pie for everybody!  
  
Kierseth: I mailed you about that...have pie!  
  
Vreader: Blackberry!  
  
Cerulean Sky: You just won't give up on the Tayledras, will you? You'll just have to see! *is mysterious*  
  
Kyalia: No, I mean prolonging the agony on whether she'd be Chosen or not...  
  
Katsiebee: Have a nap.  
  
Darkfyre: um...not Kree then. How about Scheherezade? (She scares gryphons into submission, shouldn't take her long...) Keeping track of fliers is bad. Krathnae is currently hiding. Uhum...here's a deer...it was SUPPOSED to be Krathnae's supper, but you can have it. He'll live.  
  
~Fireblade K'Chona 


	4. Riverrun

It's me again! Beware! Hahaha!  
  
Rrissa: :Quit scaring your readers.:  
  
Fireblade: *shuts up* You know, I've been thinking. If I'm a Hawkbrother, shouldn't I have bondbirds? Meet Churr and Kell. They're kestrels. Churr is female and the larger of the two, Kell is male, and he's very smart. They're nestmates, and wanted to stay together. So now I have kestrels! Yee!  
  
Have pie, reviewers! Dutch Chocolate, today!  
  
Cerulean Sky: The surge of blood-lust was actually from Kree when he caught his dinner.  
  
Vreader: Thankees!  
  
Darkfyre: I don't think so...I want my muse still in one piece when I get him back. Then he'll still be able to WRITE the thing.  
  
Well, you can bloody him up a little...just don't piss him off TOO much, or he'll burst into flames. Long story.  
  
Kierseth: Once you see how much he eats, that may change. (J/k!) Kree is a cutie, isn't he?  
  
Kell: :Not Kree! Me! Churr, too! Not Kree!:  
  
Blade: *pets bondbird*  
  
Kyalia: Action is coming! It's just taking a while! I need to establish the characters first.  
  
Senashenta: O.O what a long review! I mailed you 'bout that. And shish! Don't say ANYTHING about red-eyes and gold-eyes! SHUSH! More readers lurk everywhere...even though that's a good thing. Hmmmm. :P  
  
Katsiebee: Thankees!  
  
Fergiaj: Liluye is 17. I said it in the first chappie-or maybe I didn't. Oh well. And she was allowed to leave because there are a LOT of people on ONE farm. Too many mouths to feed...and Liluye always wanted adventure, (Havens help her.)  
  
Muse responsible: Rrissa!  
  
Onto the story! And I'm making up the Company-horsie specialists. You know, like the Skybolts. She asks for directions in the first town, Riverrun. This is the first town she's stopped in-she got the hawk furniture from a Tanner's Guild. The Guildmaster's hobby is rehabilitating raptors. (Sound like anyone we know? :P) He drooled over Kree, but it wasn't that funny, so I skipped it. And this sidenote has gone on waaaay too long.  
  
------------------------------------------  
  
I paused at the edge of Riverrun. [I don't know where the Company bases are...and I need a horse, if I want to get into the Sunhawks or Wendell's Wanderers...Wanderers is my preference. I'm babbling again.]  
  
:Bondmate think-think-think, I bored!:  
  
:What sounds better to you, Kree, Idra's Sunhawks or Wendell's Wanderers?:  
  
Kree considered for a long moment. :Wanderers see world, yes?:  
  
I realized the name had to mean something. According to my limited research, the Sunhawks had an established base-whereas the Wanderers wandered. Hence the name. I supposed they had to have a main station somewhere, but most of the time, they were on the move.  
  
:The Wanderers don't seem to stay in one place too long. Except their place where they recruit and train, anyway.:  
  
:Goodgood. Join Wanderers, see world, you have humans, yes?:  
  
:Right. Now come down here-let's make a good first impression, and maybe we won't end up sleeping on the edge of town. I need a bath.:  
  
I held out my arm and Kree dove-at the last minute backwinging and settling down.  
  
I braced the staff on my shoulders, and Kree stepped daintily up, turning so we both faced the same way.  
  
"Okay, bird, if we meet trouble, you go for the eyes and I'll whack them with my stick."  
  
Kree nodded-very odd-looking, on a bird.  
  
I strolled into town, acting as if having a bondbird larger than an ordinary eagle sitting on my shoulder was as common as leading a horse.  
  
Heads swiveled as I walked past. Kree looked around with sharp-eyed interest. :You hear them, bondmate?:  
  
:Hear who?: I spoke in Mindspeech-it probably wouldn't do to be seen talking to a bird. Even if that bird was Kree.  
  
:Hear people, all sides. They say, 'fear-curious-impressed.':  
  
:Whatever.:  
  
A little girl ran up to me and said, wide-eyed, "Can I pet your bird?"  
  
"His name is Kree."  
  
The girl reached up and scratched Kree's chest. Kree ducked his head so she could scratch his crest, closing his eyes in bliss.  
  
:Don't fall, silly bird.:  
  
:Won't fall! Not-bright!: came Kree's indignant thought. I stifled a chuckle.  
  
Suddenly, a woman dodged out of the crowd and snatched her child. Kree drooped slightly.  
  
Another person, this time a full-grown man, came forward. "How long did it take you to train it, milady? It's not even wearing jesses-where's its hood?"  
  
Kree roused himself, his crest rising. I fixed the man with a cool stare. "I did not train Kree-he came to me of his own accord. He wears no jesses because he needs no jesses-and his hood is inside my pack, where it stays unless he needs to sleep in the day."  
  
The man gawked at me, lost for words.  
  
:Think you could show off a bit, Kree?:  
  
Kree reached over and nibbled on my nose. The man half-reached, probably afraid I was going to lose an eye-then stopped, dumbfounded, as Kree gently bit my nose.  
  
:...that's not what I thought you were going to do, but it's fine.:  
  
Kree's mindvoice, full of contempt, came back to me. :Silly man-thinks you caught, trained me. Friendliness better.:  
  
Kree moved his head away from mine. I looked back at the man. "Can you tell me where I can buy a horse, food, and a map?" I asked.  
  
A few minutes later, I strolled into the Inn of the Dancing Cat. People fell silent as they caught sight of Kree.  
  
Politely, I asked the innkeeper, "I'd like a room for two nights, please. My friend here-" I nodded to Kree-"will need a stump to sit on."  
  
The innkeeper blinked. Several times. "Ah-ma'am-there are mews belonging to the Lord-"  
  
I cut in, firmly. "A stump, please. Or a block of firewood."  
  
The innkeeper gave up and showed me to a room-casting slightly anxious looks at Kree.  
  
[This could get complicated...]  
  
:Stupid man. Thinks I attack.:  
  
I snorted.  
  
About half a candlemark later, I toweled myself dry. After a long, hot bath, I felt much better.  
  
Kree was sitting on a block of firewood, preening.  
  
I pulled on my cleanest clothes and set the basket with the dirty ones by the door.  
  
Pausing, I glanced at Kree. "Will you stay, Kree?"  
  
:Close in here. No sky. I come.:  
  
I strapped on my arm-gauntlet and held it steady. Kree nudged a last feather into place, and hopped onto it.  
  
I took the back stairs, wanting to avoid people. Unfortunately, I ran into a chambermaid, who screamed at the sight of Kree.  
  
[Thank the gods that Kree isn't a panicky bird...] I thought as I skirted the maid and stepped outside.  
  
:Your arm hurt. I fly.:  
  
Surprised, I launched Kree.  
  
A woman, who had been leaning on the fence, called lazily, "So the rumors are true."  
  
"What rumors?"  
  
"Rumors of a wild hawk that sits as calmly as a watchdog on your shoulder or arm. Of course, I see now that the mistress is not seven feet tall, does not breathe fire, and has no sign whatsoever of claws and fangs."  
  
I stood at a loss for words.  
  
The woman tilted her head like a bird at me. "I'm Lord Nadoc's falconer. Impressive bird, by the way. How will you get him back without any jesses?"  
  
:This woman clever-wise. I come, bondmate.:  
  
I waited until I heard the rush of wings, then held out my arm.  
  
Kree landed on it again.  
  
A few bystanders clapped, and the woman raised an eyebrow.  
  
"Care to take a drink with me?"  
  
"Only if it's out here. Kree's uncomfortable indoors."  
  
"Hey, get some drinks, will you?" yelled the woman at a man standing near the door of the inn.  
  
"As you wish, milady."  
  
This was apparently a joke of long standing, as the woman laughed ruefully. "Rory, you know damn well that I am no lady."  
  
"A friend?" I asked her.  
  
"My cousin, actually. He's my assistant-my family has served as Lord Nadoc's falconers for three generations."  
  
I wandered over to the fence and leaned my arm on it. Kree bobbed his head, focusing in on the woman.  
  
"What is your name, anyway?" I asked her.  
  
"Helia. Yours?" She held out a hand.  
  
"Liluye." I started to reach for her hand-but realized that my right arm was occupied.  
  
Helia laughed uproariously.  
  
"Have a drink."  
  
I accepted a tankard from Rory. Looking for a place to sit down, I saw a rickety bench sitting near the wall of the inn, and sat very carefully.  
  
Kree remained calmly on my arm.  
  
"Can I have a look at him? What's his name? Where'd you get him?" Helia asked.  
  
Kree stepped very carefully to my knee, not squeezing at all with his talons, lest he draw blood.  
  
:Tell hawk-woman she look at me. No tell about Tayledras-no tell, no tell! They come trapping, they will!: Kree was most anxious.  
  
:Don't worry.:  
  
Aloud, I said, "His name's Kree. I found him-or, rather, he found me- pretty deep in the Pelagiris."  
  
Helia was afire with interest. "An easy journey?"  
  
A flood of information spilled into my mind, accompanied with created images of me fighting odd-looking things and getting wounded.  
  
Following Kree's lead, I said, "Not at all easy. There are all sorts of uncanny things in there-I can't begin to say how many times I nearly died. Half the rumors you hear about the Pelagiris are true-and the other half are actually underestimations of things in there."  
  
Helia looked disappointed.  
  
"It's not a journey I would recommend. I don't know what I was thinking, going in there," I added, sending to Kree, :Good?:  
  
:Bright like sun, bondmate, this keep clever away, stupid go, stupid die.:  
  
"Ah well. It was worth a shot."  
  
"Only the brave or the foolhardy go into the Pelagiris-and only the wizards, heroes, and stupidly lucky get out. I'm the stupidly lucky one."  
  
Helia sighed.  
  
Turning the topic away from the Pelagiris and Kree's origin, I said, "Is there anywhere around here that I could buy a horse?"  
  
Several candlemarks later, I had a nondescript bay gelding whom I called Chester in the stable, a full belly, and practically no money left.  
  
Kree had finally decided to sleep in a tree outside the village-this put him a bit far away for my comfort, but we had agreed that it was better than scaring chambermaids.  
  
I rolled into the first real bed I had had in days, yawned, and fell asleep.  
  
-----------------------------------------  
  
That chappie was REALLY long! Really REALLY long!  
  
It was fun to write, though.  
  
Review! Give your opinions! Anything from flames to asking the color of Kree's feathers to requests for making Liluye shaych to asking her to be Chosen are welcome!  
  
~Fireblade K'Chona 


	5. Wendell's Wanderers

Disclaimer: I don't own. Anyone who tries to sue me will get two furious kestrels set on them. Grr.  
  
Sorry! Just hate doing disclaimers.  
  
Have pie, reviewers! Fresh apple pie today, with cider!  
  
Darkfyre: Action has been taking a long stroll. I need to go kidnap it. Or maybe Krathnae has it. Fire-lizards? Hmm. Thanks! *sics fire-lizards on Krathnae's trail* Except...can they fly? Cause I'm pretty sure that Krathnae's aerie is only accessible by flying... And about the kestrels, they do fine with a few feedings a day. Kree eats a LOT, though. It takes more to fuel a large body. So I'm sure that Krathnae will come out to hunt- wait, he's a mage, dammit! He can just summon it! *grumbles*  
  
Cerulean Sky: Don't blame you!  
  
Kyalia: I know, I know, it's a bit happy. Liluye still has happy-new-bond syndrome. Catastrophe...hmmmmmmm.  
  
Kierseth: Kree's feathers are golden brown, but they have a reddish tinge in the right kind of light. I'm not sure about the Liluye-shaych thing yet, she's definitely not going to be Chosen, and Helia...well, let's just say Helia is bored with her life in Riverrun.  
  
Cat: Thanks!  
  
Tomorrow you get blueberry pie!  
  
Muse responsible: Rrissa! Thank you, Rrissa! I like this story!  
  
Rrissa: *gives kyree grin* :I know...if I give you an idea you like, you do most of the work! Void in the case of Like the Moon.: (coughKrathnaecough)  
  
Fireblade: Unfortunately.  
  
Onto the story! Oh, and action has been taking a looong walk. So I've combined two chappies...bear with me. She signs onto the Wanderers this time.  
  
----------------------------------------------  
  
I awoke in the morning, nestled in a feather bed. [Mmm. I like inns. Nice soft beds.]  
  
:And screamy chambermaids. When we leave?: came Kree's impatient query.  
  
:Eaten already, featherhead?:  
  
:Nice hawk-lady come, she give me tasty duck and say I handsome.: I could feel Kree's mental preening.  
  
I startled myself by laughing so hard that I fell out of bed.  
  
:So when we leave?: asked Kree again.  
  
:We can go today.:  
  
:!: came Kree's happy thought, then he cut the connection.  
  
I looked around the room and saw neatly folded clean clothes on a chair. [The screamy chambermaids do have advantages when they AREN'T screaming...]  
  
I pulled on my clothes and looked inside my belt-pouch.  
  
I had left home with enough money to buy a medium-quality horse and stay a few nights at inns-I had saved for what seemed like forever. Of course, ever since I had bought the hawk furniture for Kree, I was running rather low.  
  
[Good thing Kree can catch enough food for both of us...]  
  
I left my room and headed downstairs to the common room, where I ordered breakfast.  
  
A roll with a sausage baked into it greeted me, and I introduced it to my ravenous stomach.  
  
That done, I headed outside.  
  
There had been an arrival in the night, it seemed-a merchant's wagon sat to the side of the inn.  
  
Interested, I wandered over. The merchant himself was absent-but a guard lazily leaned against the side of the wagon.  
  
I looked at him for a moment. The man was tall and gangly, and had a sneer on his face.  
  
[He could be trouble...I'd better avoid him.]  
  
"Going somewhere?" asked the man.  
  
[Yup. Hello, trouble.]  
  
"What does your hirer sell?" I asked him, attempting to seem politely interested.  
  
"Jewels."  
  
"I see."  
  
The man was looking at me in a way I disliked. :Um, Kree? Can you head over here, give this guy a look at your talons? He doesn't look very nice.:  
  
:I come.:  
  
"Really? Where were you last?" I asked, trying to act like one of my sisters-always interested in clothes and jewelry.  
  
"Well, we were in Kata'shi'na'in, but then we headed up here-rubies sell well in Rethwellan."  
  
"You are well informed of your master's doings," I observed.  
  
The man shrugged. "I don't hire on without information."  
  
:!: came Kree's warning, and I held up my arm.  
  
Kree landed on my arm. I tried not to stagger.  
  
:Bird, you are heavy!:  
  
:This man not-nice. Mind slimy. Might be thief,: came Kree's commentary.  
  
Meanwhile, the guard had gone very pale. "Are you-what is-"  
  
I interrupted smoothly. "This is Kree. He's my partner. I'm not interested today, thank you."  
  
Turning, I strolled down the street and into the stables.  
  
Kree sat very still on my arm as I wandered over to Chester's stall.  
  
Chester snorted at Kree, but didn't do anything else-one of the reasons I had bought him.  
  
Opening his door one-handed, I grasped the bottom of his halter and led him into the corral, where I launched Kree.  
  
I managed to saddle Chester without much mishap-I couldn't figure out some of the strange-looking straps on the saddle-but a stableboy came and helped me.  
  
I ran up to my room and dumped my things into my pack, carrying it down to the corral again-where I stopped, stuck.  
  
[How am I supposed to attach this to the saddle?]  
  
"Going somewhere?" drawled a lazy voice from the fence.  
  
"Yup. I'm about broke, so I'm going to go join Wendell's Wanderers and get saddlesore meanwhile," I called back, looking up.  
  
Helia laughed.  
  
Kree chirred and landed on the fence beside her. Helia scratched his head.  
  
:Helia bright-clever-kind.:  
  
"Kree likes you," I said to Helia.  
  
"And I like him right back."  
  
Kree sighed and settled, blissfully leaning into Helia's hand.  
  
I went back to staring at the pack.  
  
"What are you doing?"  
  
"Trying to figure out how I get my pack attached to the saddle..."  
  
"Easy," said Helia, ducking under the fence.  
  
She picked up the pack, looked it over, adjusted several ties, then used the funy-looking straps I hadn't been able to figure out to attach it so it was centered on Chester's back.  
  
Chester heaved a sigh.  
  
"There you go," said Helia, slapping Chester's shoulder.  
  
:Come scratch head now?: came Kree's plea.  
  
"Birdbrain over there wants another head-scratch," I said, laughing a bit.  
  
Helia laughed too and went back over to the fence.  
  
"Why did you leave your farm, anyway?" she asked me.  
  
"I wanted adventure...so I researched merc companies as best I could out in the farmlands and picked Wendell's Wanderers. I want to see the world!"  
  
Helia nodded. "Sounds like me."  
  
Before I knew it, I had asked, "You want to come?"  
  
A slow grin spread over her face. "Actually, that's what I came to ask. Rory can manage the birdies fine, I can't teach him much more, I'm bored, Kree's a sweetie, and one of Lord Nadoc's sons keeps proposing to me. Problem is, he's proposed to seven women before, and broken off the engagement after he had-well-" Helia coughed.  
  
"Won't you miss your family?" I winced at this stupid question as soon as I asked it. After all, I had had no qualms about wandering away...  
  
"Actually, I will...but I can live with it."  
  
I stuck my staff under the packstraps and mounted Chester.  
  
"What are you waiting for?" I asked.  
  
Helia said, "Meet you at the other end of town," and left.  
  
Kree sighed. :Don't worry, she's coming with us,: I reassured him.  
  
Kree's golden-brown feathers seemed to brighten. :Goodgood! You have friend, I have head scratches, all good.:  
  
He took off from the fence and wheeled into the air.  
  
Closing my eyes, I followed his thoughts-  
  
Suddenly, I was looking down at myself from a hawk's body. The world twisted crazily as I wheeled.  
  
I skimmed over the wind, gliding easily left and right and up...  
  
Blinking, I found myself in my body again. :Bird, what was that?: I asked anxiously.  
  
:You share mind. Funfun.:  
  
I shrugged and guided Chester down the street.  
  
____About a candlemark later____  
  
I was having the time of my life on the road. Helia rode easily beside me on a dun gelding she called "Dusty."  
  
Kree rode the wind overhead, occasionally diving and skimming just along the ground for a thrill. At these times, I closed my eyes and rode with him-earning odd looks from Helia.  
  
"If you'll excuse me...what exactly is the bond between you and Kree?" she asked, finally.  
  
"Well, we can speak mind-to-mind with each other and I can ride with him in his body, if I want to. There's probably more that I haven't figured out yet, but it's useful. Want to stop for lunch?"  
  
"What is for lunch? I didn't see any provisions in your pack..."  
  
:Kree? Catch us a rabbit? Or something?: I sent.  
  
:You scratch head?:  
  
:Both of us will,: I promised.  
  
Kree searched for a moment, then dove.  
  
He came up with a rabbit. Flapping laboriously, he managed to drop it in my lap.  
  
"Thanks, Kree," I said.  
  
Helia blinked. "Ah. Useful?"  
  
"Very useful. I don't ask him to hunt all the time, but if I'm running low on food, he can keep us from starving."  
  
Helia looked thoughtful, then said nothing more.  
  
_____Several days later_____  
  
I looked up at the building with the Wanderer's banner over it-a walking staff and a sword crossed on a field of sky blue.  
  
:Kree?: I called, pulled the staff from the pack, and braced it over my shoulders.  
  
Kree swooped in and settled on the branch carefully.  
  
"Here goes," said Helia. "I hope you know some weapons."  
  
"Well, I can ride and use a bow..."  
  
"But with featherhead there, you'll do fine."  
  
I nudged Chester forward and through the gates, Helia behind me.  
  
Inside the walls, we found a small town, most houses and shops with a small version of the banner over their doors-I assumed this meant they were owned by retired Wanderers. There didn't seem to be many people around...  
  
"Well, they must be out wandering somewhere, or on assignment. Hence the name. Don't worry, they'll have someone there to be able to sign you on- probably the Captain's second," Helia murmured from a few feet away.  
  
Carefully ignoring the curious looks I earned, I guided Chester to the foot of the main building and dismounted, where a young boy took both horses.  
  
:Bondmate ready?: Kree's voice was overlaid with concern.  
  
"I'll be fine," I said back to him.  
  
Helia, Kree, and I entered the building.  
  
Another boy led us up some stairs and into a large study-where a woman was bent over a desk, her pen scratching away.  
  
I coughed.  
  
She looked up and said, "Just a moment."  
  
The woman signed something with a flourish and sealed it inside an envelope.  
  
"I'm Fethera-most people just call me Thera. I am Wendell's Second, and I'm stuck here because Wendell was bored and decided to take the Company on a training expedition. So who does that leave of rank? Me. Ah, well. Your names are?"  
  
I said, nervously, "I'm Liluye and my friend her-" I nodded towards Kree- "is Kree."  
  
"And I'm Helia Geonaslene, once Lord Nadoc Justenfrenteya's chief falconer, now companion to Liluye," said Helia, grimacing slightly at Lord Nadoc's last name.  
  
"Very well. Can you ride?"  
  
She received an affirmative.  
  
"What weapons do you know?"  
  
I said, "I can use a bow, and I can track. Also, I can communicate mind-to- mind with Kree-he's from the Pelagiris-and if I must, share his mind and fly with him to wherever. He has some pretty formidable weaponry all on his own."  
  
Helia said, "I'm all right with a sword, but I'm best at bow and axe."  
  
Thera considered this for a moment, then proceeded, grilling us swiftly under practiced questions. Kree, bored, began to preen my hair.  
  
"Well, if you'll sign here on this sheet, you'll be members of the Guild- and of Wendell's Wanderers. We'll pay your joining fee-of course, we'll have to dock it from your pay."  
  
Helia, Kree, and I shared a glance-and accepted.  
  
----------------------------------------  
  
Eep! It's a novel! I know, I know, boring for a while-don't worry, Action decided to wander up just at the end of the chappie.  
  
Reviews are appreciated!  
  
~Fireblade K'Chona 


	6. Flying Free

Fireblade: I hate disclaimers. Kell, will you do it?  
  
Kell: :Bondmate don't own. You no take money.: *cleans claw*  
  
That's over with now...reviewer responses now! Have blueberry pie!  
  
Cerulean Sky: I know. They're fun.  
  
Vreader: *hands over banana cream pie with butterscotch* I try not to argue with nice reviewers!  
  
Kierseth: Exclamation points!!!!! !!!  
  
Snowfire the Kitsune: What does your last name mean? Yeah, this is sorta like a reeeeally long intro...but I've written other stories.  
  
Course, this is the first one that isn't set in Valdemar...well, except the beginning of Clans...  
  
Darkfyre: Okees, thanks! Um...I think you should set them on his physical trail, since he has some very complex protections that do nasty things from those who travel between worlds...  
  
Slivervine: Here you go!  
  
Senashenta: *laughs*  
  
Dragonsdaughter1: Thankees!  
  
Muse Responsible: Rrissa!  
  
------------------------------------------------  
  
Helia and I wound up sharing a room-an arrangement which meant we would share a tent in the field. Thera explained that it saved money on tents if we split one.  
  
"This will be far better than at home-I shared a room with three sisters!" I exclaimed as I practically skipped down the hall.  
  
Helia laughed at me, and Kree sat patiently on my arm.  
  
Thera was leading us, and a thought occurred to me. "Thera? Where can I put Kree?" I asked anxiously.  
  
"Well-we have a very tiny mews, but I doubt they could accommodate your friend. Ah-I'll put you in a big window and you can nail a perch to it or something..."  
  
Kree bobbed his head to catch my attention. :Bondmate nail stick to window, also perch inside for rain, all good.:  
  
"Kree says that if you could get a perch for him inside too, he'll be fine."  
  
Thera asked about his care here and in the field. "Well, I'll need to hunt with him every few days while we're here so he doesn't get bored, and in the field-I think he could sleep in our tent, if he had to. Kree can hunt for his keep-"  
  
"I don't think that'll be necessary, but I will keep that in mind. So, an inside and outside perch here, and a perch for the road?"  
  
"And a tray to go under the perch, please-he casts pellets and when he's asleep, his instincts take over-and I have the rest of the things he'll need."  
  
Thera stopped a passing servant and gave him some rapid orders.  
  
The servant nodded and hurried off.  
  
Thera opened a door and showed us inside. "Your home for however long you stay with us."  
  
Helia, Kree, and I looked around.  
  
There was a large window and two beds on a wall, not to mention a water closet, a fireplace, a weapons rack and a trunk at the foot of each bed.  
  
"Looks good to me," said Helia as she claimed the bed closest to the door.  
  
I set Kree on the bed and opened the window.  
  
A vista of rooftops, the wall, and some of the land beyond greeted me.  
  
"Good view?" asked Helia, lounging on her bed.  
  
"Beautiful."  
  
Just then, the servant came in, his arms full of a hammer, nails, a staff, a block perch, and a tray. I hurried over and relieved him of it, then tried to figure out how the staff would nail to the window.  
  
At last, I stumbled over an idea and put it into action. First, I nailed the staff into place, then found a crosspiece and used it for support. Kree hopped over and inspected-stepping onto it when I finished. :All good.:  
  
I turned and found Helia had set up the block perch. "Thanks."  
  
"Don't mention it."  
  
I lay on my bed and said, :Kree? Mind taking me for a ride?:  
  
:You heavy.:  
  
:No, a mental ride...:  
  
Kree drew me until I was looking through his eyes. He/I launched from the perch and winged over the town, over the walls, and higher and higher-  
  
I marveled in the sensation of the wind beneath me, the power of my/Kree's wings.  
  
Kree gave a ringing cry and flew still higher...  
  
-------------------------------------------  
  
Liluye appears to be taking a nap, so Helia won't bother her. Action is coming! Hurry up, Action! *snaps fingers at it impatiently*  
  
Action: I'm coming, I'm coming!  
  
Rrissa: :I sure hope you are.:  
  
Review! You get Dutch chocolate tart if you do!  
  
My birthday is on Saturday! Tra la la la la la la!  
  
~Fireblade K'Chona 


	7. Soreness

I don't own, I don't own, I don't own.  
  
Review responses! Cookies today! And Dutch Chocolate Pie! Have both, one, or neither!  
  
Vreader: *hands over the cookies*  
  
Kierseth: If Action doesn't show up this chappie, unpleasant things will happen to it...*glares at Action*  
  
Silvervine: HAPPY BIRTHDAY TOOOO YOOOOOU!  
  
Darkfyre: Don't worry about that. And Krathnae is STILL hiding!  
  
Snowfire Kitsune: *is a bit overwhelmed* Thankees! *smiles and nods and hands over cookies and Dutch Chocolate Pie*  
  
Muse responsible: Rrissa!  
  
This is several days later...after they've signed on...  
  
----------------------------------------------------  
  
I fell onto my bed, every inch of me aching. [Nnng. Weapons-training...]  
  
In the past few days, I had shown my skill with a bow, been made to work on that for far too long, then been told to pick another weapon.  
  
I chose axes and knives. For some reason, I had looked at the sword and said, "Nope. Axes for me!"  
  
I was still trying to figure that out.  
  
Helia came in several minutes after me, looking almost as drained as I did.  
  
Kree loved it here-but he worked as well. One of the trainers had decided to work on Kree's accuracy, and had set up a system like they used for hawks hatched in mews-to train them to hunt.  
  
Kree didn't find these draining. Instead, he referred to them as "fungames."  
  
Helia flopped onto her bed, looking over at me. Finally, a word emerged from her mouth. "You?"  
  
I summoned the energy to prop myself on an elbow. "Bad."  
  
"Ah."  
  
Kree swooped in and landed on the block perch inside. :Games funfun today!: he said, cheerfully.  
  
I turned my head, every muscle screaming in protest, to look at him. :Bird, you have waaaay too much energy,: I said through Mindspeech.  
  
Kree tilted his head. :Why not energy-borrow?: he asked, puzzled.  
  
:What?:  
  
:Like this.: I felt Kree concentrate and draw a bit of his own energy- passing it down the bond.  
  
My eyes widened. Suddenly, I felt far better.  
  
Kree bobbed his head, pleased. :Nothard, bondmate less tired, notcranky, right?:  
  
I sat up. My muscles weren't screaming as loudly now. "Bird, I could kiss you right now," I said.  
  
Kree chirred and said, :Head-scratch better.:  
  
Helia, watching this exchange, said, "Interesting conversation?"  
  
"It seems that Kree can pass a bit of energy to me at times," I said, "It helps a lot. Now I'm only three-quarters as tired."  
  
Helia laughed for about three seconds. "Not much."  
  
"Enough."  
  
Then Kree said, sternly, :Bondmate and falcon-lady take bath! Smelly!:  
  
Startled, I laughed again, then painfully stood and picked up two towels.  
  
"Birdbrain over there seems to think we smell," I said to Helia.  
  
Sighing, Helia managed to stand and take a towel from me.  
  
I headed for the door, my muscles still screeching.  
  
I snagged the staff I kept to brace across my shoulders for Kree and leaned heavily on it.  
  
Helia dragged herself towards the door, and, leaning on me, we lurched down the hall to the bathhouse.  
  
It seemed like forever before we made it.  
  
Not caring about anything but a hot bath at the moment, I ran the tub full of hot water, stripped, and fell in.  
  
The heat soothed my muscles instantly. [I don't ever want to get out...] I thought as I soaked.  
  
About a candlemark later, I pulled myself out of the tub and dried off.  
  
Helia looked like she had every intention of turning into a raisin. Pulling on my clothes, I wandered over to her and tapped her right shoulder- the merc signal for "Safe waking." We were supposed to use that as often as possible.  
  
Helia looked up at me and said, pleadingly, "Can't I just live here?"  
  
I shook my head.  
  
Sighing, Helia pulled herself out of her tub, dressed, and headed back to the room.  
  
I followed, ready to sleep for a week.  
  
It wasn't a week, but it was close.  
  
I slept for nearly a day. Why, I'm not sure. But it happened.  
  
I dreamed I was seeing the world through Kree's eyes as Helia tried to wake me, saw me swat at her, and give up.  
  
Kree fluttered out the window to his "fungames."  
  
I rode with him as he went through his training.  
  
First, the trainer had him fly in circles both ways, fly as high as he could, and practice diving. Then, Kree dove at different objects, some moving, some not.  
  
Kree learned to avoid arrows-the practice ones heavily cushioned.  
  
At last, Kree was asked to carry small objects as high and fast as he could, then drop them on targets.  
  
I awoke in the late afternoon, feeling very puzzled. [What the hell? Why'd I sleep do long?]  
  
:Bondmate awake? All good.:  
  
Still puzzled, I dressed and went to train.  
  
---------------------------------------------------------  
  
Okees, that chappie was mostly to show what training Kree went through, since everyone knows human weapons-practicing aiming, pounding pells, etc, etc, etc.  
  
I made up Kree's training cause it was fun.  
  
Kree happens to love his "fungames..."  
  
Yup.  
  
ACTION! GET YOUR BUTT HERE NOW!!!  
  
Meh.  
  
Reviews are loved!  
  
~Fireblade K'Chona 


	8. Training, training, and for a change, tr...

Disclaimer: I don't own. Except the charries.  
  
I should actually be writing a paper at the moment...bleh.  
  
Reviewer response! Only one this time! *cries for a short time*  
  
Darkfyre: Actually, what happened is that a: Liluye's body was in overload- it takes ENERGY to sould-bond, ya know? And if you add in weapons- training...you collapse for a couple hours. And b: Kree decided on his own that Liluye needed about a day of rest and so "pulled" her soul into his own body for a while-basically a guided mental ride, except he kept her there so her body could sleep. I'm assuming in Hawkbrother customs, this is usually forbidden because it runs perilously close to coercion, but Liluye isn't a Hawkbrother and Kree has a mind of his own.  
  
Yup.  
  
Muse responsible: Rrissa!  
  
Onto the story! And this is the trainees foray into the field immediately around Wanderersrest, Wanderer's training base. They're on a "scouting mission." Oh, and the kind of troops the Wanderers are-they're basically very light cavalry, saboteurs-they ride mountain ponies and light, surefooted horses, so they're really fast on rough terrain. Chester and Dusty (Helia's horse) managed to scrape in-Chester happens to be the only horse who will allow Kree to land on his rider's arm at the moment, so they need that, or they'd have a broken Liluye...  
  
Now, really onto the story!  
  
--------------------------------------------  
  
I rode Chester easily enough, my twin axes riding at each hip. Kree flew above, and Helia rode beside me.  
  
This was our first training mission, and along with Helia and I there were eight others and an officer.  
  
This would also be the test of how to use Kree. The other half of my training group was playing the "enemy," and our mission was to scout them out, find them, and ambush them.  
  
Kree wore peculiar "boot" on his talons-he would dive and hit lightly with a fisted talon while dodging cushioned arrows. We didn't want to hurt anyone, least of all Kree.  
  
The trainee leading our group glanced nervously at the officer and said, "Form a circle around Liluye. Liluye?"  
  
"Ready, sir."  
  
I grabbed a strap affixed to my saddle and fastened myself to Chester's back, then fell into trance and into Kree's mind.  
  
:Bondmate ready?:  
  
:Yes indeed.:  
  
:We go.:  
  
Kree/I wove in the pattern which meant that I was with Kree's mind, and we soared upwards.  
  
Wheeling above the trees, we looked for the tell-tales a careless enemy might leave. Kree's exceptionally sharp vision picked them out almost instantly-a thin trail of smoke, trampled ground in a clearing.  
  
Weaving under the trees now, we looked for other signs.  
  
Here was where Kree was a bit awkward-the trees were smaller than in the Pelagiris, and sometimes he misjudged things, accidentally clipping branches with his wingtips.  
  
There was a game-trail, at first glance merely heavily used by animals, but on a second look revealed an iron-shod hoofprint on the side of the path.  
  
Kree picked out voices, and we wheeled nearer.  
  
The "enemy" camp was in a small, bushy clearing which both screened them from sight and us from sight.  
  
:I'm leaving,: I said to Kree, and returned to my body.  
  
My party was in a tight circle around me as if protecting a mage. I said, quietly, "About a quarter-mile north and a bit east. They're surrounded by scrub which'll screen us from view. Kree's waiting for us."  
  
We headed the way I had gone with Kree.  
  
Leaving the horses tethered, we slipped up on our bellies to Kree.  
  
The leader poked one of us, who poked Helia, who poked me, and I poked the person next to me.  
  
It continued until we heard a slight rustling pattern.  
  
We leapt into the clearing, taking the "enemy" by surprise.  
  
Some of them shot arrows with red chalk in them at us; a person hit "died."  
  
I wielded my axes-both cushioned and covered in red chalk-hitting with remarkable accuracy.  
  
The "officer" of our team had set up a small pile of red chalk balls-Helia and a man I remembered as Jaonsen lobbed them at the enemy. Kree would carry the real, deadly versions of these in battle-but since he was wearing the "boots," he couldn't in this practice run.  
  
Some of the "enemy" shot arrows up at him. Kree was amazing to watch as he displayed nearly supernatural speed and agility, sideslipping in midair, flaring as if in a mating display-then shooting upwards. Spontaneous applause rose up from the "dead" and "wounded."  
  
At last, my group defeated the "enemy," but at a high cost. Helia was "dead," as were five others, leaving only me and the "officer" "alive."  
  
Kree had accounted for nearly half the enemy "casualties-" obviously, most did not expect an attack by air.  
  
The real officer now came into the center of the clearing, hands on hips. "Good job, "Officer" Leon, good job "enemy," and wonderful job "protecting" Liluye while she was in trance. And you did wonderfully, Kree!"  
  
Kree was currently hovering by me as I stripped the boots off his talons. Kree preened slightly, then settled on my arm, paying strict attention.  
  
"Now, "enemy," when you are asked to do this again, remember to set sentries, to not set fires, and make sure your horses' feet are covered. "Scouts," you need to pay sharper attention to your surroundings when protecting Liluye. If I were the enemy, I could have shot her before any of you knew it. Overall, a good job, everyone. Clean up and head back."  
  
Tossing Kree into the air again, I did my part to pick up arrows and other bits of litter. Everyone tossed it into a bag that Helia was holding, then mounted up and headed back.  
  
--------------------------------------  
  
Short, I know, but Action showed up! Hopefully, Rrissa will let me boot Liluye into the field one of these days...  
  
Reviews are loved:  
  
~Fireblade K'Chona 


	9. Wendell

Disclaimer: I hate disclaimers! *covers ears and sings "My Lady's Eyes" at those who want disclaimers until they cower in fear*  
  
Reviewers! Have cupcakes!  
  
Darkfyre: You review so often! It makes me feel so loved! *gives Darkfyre random gift-ribbon to put on head* Twin axes? Um...Liluye chose them. She didn't want a sword. And axes are cool...and they double as wood- choppers! Plus, Liluye used to chop the wood on her farm, so she already has axe-calluses. The energy-thing? Well, remember, Kree's a bondbird. They're built to bond to someone. His training is also less strenuous, since he's naturally a fighter. Kree, as a Tayledras bird, has a bit of ability to pull node-energy, much as he wants to deny it. (not much at a time, though...) As for the "Wild Ride," I did that mainly so you could see his training...and Kree likes having Liluye around. In his head. Strange birdie...  
  
Cerulean Sky: Thankees! *bows*  
  
Vreader: *gives cupcakes*  
  
Kierseth: Actually, I got the idea from the Tortall books in Squire...I just elaborated a bit. And as a side note, the red chalk balls-in battle, they'd be these balloon-type things with magicked liquid in them. Like water balloons with acid...except this acid is magical.  
  
Lia Bates: It's where I got the idea, but it's Squire. Helia is 20, Liluye is 17, and Kree is about two. Even though you didn't ask that. Thanks for reviewing.  
  
Snowfire: Right. *nods* I'll read it after I write this chappie.  
  
Hawk-sister: I think I've mentioned this...gold-brown with a bit of red in the right kind of light. The great lady herself? You feed my ego! *bows* *hands over the pastries* No, I'm not going to bring Liluye to Valdemar...cause if I did that, reviewers would want to get her Chosen, and we have enough Valdemar fics, and not enough Rethwellan fics, don't you think?  
  
Muse responsible: Rrissa!  
  
Onto the story! (Yay! I did it for once!)  
  
------------------------------------------------------------  
  
After several weeks with the Wanderers, both Helia and I had adjusted to the strenuous living program. Kree had taken to it as if he were born to it.  
  
Today, I was taking Kree out to hunt.  
  
On foot, Kree and I made our way out of Wandersrest and headed into an empty field.  
  
I launched Kree and looked back at Wandersrest. [It's well enough here...but I can't wait until we can actually go and see the world.]  
  
Kree wheeled above me as I meandered through the field, trying to scare up a rabbit or two.  
  
:Riders come.: said Kree, turning sharply to the left and kiting towards the road.  
  
Curious, I abandoned my search for rabbits and went to stand at the side. Kree landed on my arm a moment later.  
  
Several minutes passed before a troop of riders rounded a hill and came towards Wandersrest.  
  
"Who are they?" I asked Kree, who was trying to get a good bearing on them with his sharper eyes.  
  
:Wanderers home!: said Kree.  
  
"Then that must be Wendell at the front," I said, and peered intently down the road.  
  
A cheer rose from the riders as they accelerated to a trot.  
  
A moment later, a strain of song drifted towards me, nearly drowned in hoofbeats.  
  
Kree said, :They sing, "You might see us wandering under the sky, in rain, in hail, in sun, in snow-":  
  
I recognized it as the Wanderer's official song, composed by one of the Healers with a bit of talent at minstrelsy.  
  
"Our foes never do know when we draw nigh, We strike high at their price, and then they know woe..." I finished.  
  
[I'm not sure if I'm right...I'll check later.]  
  
The column rode nearer. A few of them stood in their saddles-it was only when Kree sat straighter that I noticed they were staring at me.  
  
The man at point, mounted on a nondescript dark bay, peeled off towards me.  
  
Dismounting, he held out his hand. "I'm Wendell. You must be Liluye-Thera sent a messenger to me once you hired on. And if you are Liluye, then this is Kree."  
  
I blinked at my Captain, who was over six feet, with brown-blonde hair and grey-green eyes. Wendell bowed genially to Kree, who, chirring, bowed back.  
  
"Yes, I'm Liluye," I said, finding my voice.  
  
Wendell replied, his eyes dancing with enthusiasm, "Can you tell me about your bird? How did you train him to sit so quietly without jesses? And what is your weapon of choice?"  
  
Blinking at the barrage of questions, I answered, "I favor twin axes or a bow. Kree here is from the Pelagirs. He's about as intelligent as an average human, and we speak mind-to-mind."  
  
"And you can look through his eyes?" asked Wendell.  
  
"I can join mind-to-mind for scouting forays."  
  
"Brilliant," breathed Wendell. "Other than the size, he'll be a perfect spy."  
  
Kree said, :Tell Captain I like him.:  
  
"Kree says he likes you," I said, "I try not to argue with anything that has those big of claws."  
  
Kree chirred again and leaned to nibble my ear.  
  
"Ah-I think the rest of the Wanderers want to get home," I mentioned, glancing at the still train of riders, all watching us.  
  
"Very well," said Wendell, becoming Captain once more. Mounting up, he rode back to point.  
  
I launched Kree as the Wanderers rode past. He winged into the air, giving a ringing cry, and skimmed the earth just ahead of Wendell.  
  
I watched them until they rode in, then called Kree back to hunt.  
  
__________Candlemarks Later_____________  
  
I sat at the recruit's table in the mess hall, chatting animatedly with Helia, Leon, Jaonsen, Frayley, Necia, and Tuvya over our dinner. All seven of us-eight with Kree-were new recruits training for scouting. At the other end of the table sat the recruits who wanted to be light skirmishers, listening in.  
  
"Acres and acres, and it's all mine!" said Necia, causing the table to erupt in laughter at the bawdy joke.  
  
:How many Hawkbrothers does it take to make a mating circle?: said Kree.  
  
I repeated it obediently...  
  
:Only one, but he has to be flexible!: crowed Kree triumphantly.  
  
Blushing, I repeated the last bit again, and the table erupted in laughter again.  
  
:Bird, you're going to get me in trouble one of these days,: I said to Kree.  
  
He ignored the comment.  
  
Wendell stood up at the officer's table and called for our attention. "Attention please!"  
  
The entire mess hall went quiet.  
  
"First of all, you've done a wonderful job of bringing in recruits and training them, Thera. I look forward to seeing their capabilities on the training field."  
  
Wendell pointed at my table, with the rest of the new recruits. "Wanderers, meet your new partners! Thera, I understand that most of these fine young people at that table are training for scouting and skirmishing?"  
  
Thera nodded. "Well, let's welcome them in!" finished Wendell.  
  
A storm of clapping erupted from the rest of the tables. Most of the people at my table blushed.  
  
:Bondmate!: called Kree.  
  
I flung up my arm. Helia, knowing this move, leaned away.  
  
Kree swooped in the open window and landed on my arm.  
  
:Bird, you are such a show-off.:  
  
:Attention good. Stand!:  
  
Sighing, I stood. "Well, lookie here! It's a birdie!" called one of the officers who'd ridden in that day.  
  
Wendell stood again. "I forgot to mention that. Wanderers, this is our last, but not least, recruit-Kree the hawk-eagle from the Pelagiris! Liluye?"  
  
Knowing that this was for me to talk, I flinched inwardly. I'd never been good at talking to groups of people larger than 10.  
  
Kree said impatiently, :Captain say talk, so talk!:  
  
"This is Kree. And before you ask, I didn't train him-he decided to come to me. Like a mage's familiar, I guess, but I'm no mage, so I wouldn't know. I found Kree-or rather, he found me, when I was hiking through the outer fringes of the Pelagiris. I wouldn't go in there if I were you-only the heroes, mages, and stupidly lucky get out. I'm just stupidly lucky, I guess...um, thank you. Go back to bed, bird," I added to Kree, launching him into the air.  
  
He circled around the dining hall several times to more applause, then swooped out the window.  
  
Finishing eating quickly, I slipped out of the room before the meal was over, wanting to avoid questions.  
  
-----------------------------------------------------------------  
  
OK. That didn't go in the direction I expected. Ah well.  
  
I'm going to ask your opinion on something. What would you do if I made Liluye shaych? You don't usually see shaych girls in Misty fanfiction...with notable exceptions, but I won't go into that. So, would you:  
  
a) Freak out, flame me, and run away screaming  
  
b) Continue reading the story anyway (indifferently)  
  
c) Respond positively  
  
Just want to know your opinion...even though I think we're open-minded enough around here. Look at all the Van/Stef fluff fics we have around here!  
  
Reviews please!  
  
~Fireblade K'Chona 


	10. Lone Hawk Inn

Disclaimer: You know I don't own! Quit bugging me about it!  
  
Ah...I LOVE you guys! Your reviews boost my day up 250%! *huggles all reviewers and gives cookies*  
  
Silvervine: Yay! I am happy!  
  
Cerulean Sky: Ew! Her and Wendell? Bleh. Aw! I love your review! I'm in a happy mood, can you tell?  
  
Vreader: OK, you get Banana Cream Pie cause you're special.  
  
Kasiebee: Good night!  
  
Snowfire the Kitsune: I really doubt anyone in the Misty section would choose "a"...I mean, look at Van and Stef! (And of course, everyone loves Firesong...)  
  
Darkfyre: Dead in the black-that's exactly what they are. Meep! I haven't been reviewing? I've been reading...I'll go review.  
  
Kierseth: You never know...  
  
LeopardDance: Here's your update! Not the Puppy Eyes of Doom!  
  
Hawk-sister: Thankees!  
  
Announcement! Liluye is officially shay'a'chern! Anyone who flames me will have Shi'na'in proverbs recited at them till 4 in the morning! By Rrissa! And I know from experience that you'll wish you were dead!  
  
Muse responsible: Rrissa!  
  
Onto the story! Several days later.  
  
-----------------------------------------------------------  
  
I whirled my twin axes in my hands and lunged at my opponent, who slid to the side and jabbed at me with a knife.  
  
It was a hot, dry day in the practice yard, and I was already panting from the effort. My trainer barked a harsh laugh. "Tired already, girl? You wouldn't last long on a battlefield."  
  
This trainer, Sabre, was known for her sharp knives and sharper tongue. No longer suited to a battlefield, she kept her skills and tongue well- sharpened on the recruits.  
  
"Put some back into it, farmgirl!"  
  
Axes moving furiously, I executed a tumble-roll desperation counter I hadn't known I'd remembered-and disarmed Sabre.  
  
Sabre looked at her knifeless hand, shrugged, and delivered a half-strength right hook to my chin before I saw it.  
  
"If you'd been in a fight, you would've gone down right there," said Sabre.  
  
"Right, now, stay there Liluye. Helia, Leon-try the three-on-one move again."  
  
Helia and Leon obediently moved forward. Helia unsheathed her long, slender rapier and Leon took his short-sword and dagger combination.  
  
Raising my axes, I moved to take "point."  
  
Sabre took her own practice-sword and attacked.  
  
I dodged forward, then to the side as Leon and Helia moved in to try the pincer move.  
  
Sabre reversed and headed for Helia with a barked, "Use your imaginations, hillbillies!"  
  
I had an idea. :Featherhead! C'mere and do a play-fight blow on trainer!:  
  
Moments later, in which I was "killed" and Leon was "wounded", Kree came stooping out of the sky with a battle-screech and did a mock-blow at Sabre's head.  
  
Helia "killed" Sabre as she tried to fend off Kree.  
  
Sabre glared at me. "Well, you said use my imagination!" I said innocently, letting Kree land on my arm and scratching his crest.  
  
Sabre granted me a bare nod, then barked at Leon, "Watch your lower guard!" and laid into him.  
  
Yawning, I launched Kree back into the sky, said, :Thanks featherhead...: and sat on one of the benches.  
  
--------------Two candlemarks later------------------  
  
Having bathed and changed my clothes, I decided to go look around Wandersrest, having never actually seen the town itself. Picking up my money pouch, I belted it on, then, hesitating, added a long knife. [Haven't been training with this...ah well, I'll be all right.]  
  
Making a mental note to tell Sabre that I needed drilling in kinfe- fighting, I meandered through the main base and through the training yards into the town itself.  
  
I could tell at a moments glance that many of the people who walked along the streets were Wanderers or former Wanderers-the latter because they were often missing eyes or limbs, and the former by the way they moved.  
  
I noted the merc's way of moving. Watching one man walk down the street, I could even tell that he had been trained by Sabre.  
  
[Huh. I'm getting better at eyeballing and giving a surface judgement.]  
  
Looking up at one of the inns with the Wanderer's banner over it-I was right, those were owned by former Wanderers-I decided to enter.  
  
The inn was very clean and well-kept, with brightly burning lamps around the walls at regular intervals, not to mention windows. The atmosphere around here was relaxed and cheerful. Looking around, I saw people-again, mainly Wanderers-sitting at what seemed to be informally designated spots.  
  
Obviously, this inn had been here a while.  
  
A server came up to me and said in a slightly squeaky voice, "Welcome to the Lone Hawk inn, founded 15 years ago right when the Wanderers created their base. Would you care for a drink?"  
  
"Sure," I said, still looking around.  
  
This seemed to be a very popular spot for Wanderers. [Well, it would be, as the first inn here...and it's well-kept, too.]  
  
The server handed me a beer, and I gave her three coppers, now scanning the crowd for familiar faces.  
  
Necia was sitting at the end of one of the tables near the hearth, plowing her way through a meat pie. Looking up, she waved and called through a mouthful of pastry, "Liluye! Sit!"  
  
I strolled over and sat. "Good inn?"  
  
"Very good," said Necia, swallowing her pie. "I discovered this place a few weeks ago, before you came around...it's expensive compared to other places, but the food and beer is well worth it, and it's always peaceful. The innkeeper used to be a Wanderer, and the lack of one eye doesn't hinder her if she has to toss folks out the door."  
  
I laughed and took a swallow of my beer.  
  
It was surprisingly good-far better than in most taverns. I instantly decided that this would be one of my frequent stops.  
  
Necia had another bite of her pie, then said, "This is actually my second pie...maybe I shouldn't have ordered two, but I'm full. Want it?"  
  
In answer, I reached over and stole the remaining quarter of meat pie away from her and started to eat. The pie was rabbit, perfectly cooked and spiced a bit oddly, but that only complemented the flavor.  
  
Necia laughed.  
  
After watching me eat for a few minutes, she said, "I'll never forget the look on Sabre's face when you said she had told you to use your imagination..."  
  
I laughed through a bite of pie.  
  
Swallowing, I said, "So, where are you from?"  
  
Necia replied, "I'm a city girl...I was born in Throne City in the lowest parts of town. My father owned an inn...I realized the life wasn't for me after being bored out of my mind serving beer, so I left and joined the Wanderers. You?"  
  
I washed down a bit of pie with beer and said, "Well, I was born on a farm. The farm is officially owned by my grandfather, though it'll pass to my father eventually, but my two uncles live there as well. It's quite a large farm-all of us work the fields, but I'm one of the youngest. A few years ago, there was that blizzard early in the fall-remember?" Necia nodded. "Anyway, we had practically no food left, and I realized that if it happened again, there'd hardly be enough to feed us all."  
  
"A few of my other siblings and cousins have left over the years-mostly to the army, but Kendra went to White Winds and Jemmy went to be Healer- trained. To compress a few years into one sentence, I realized I was really bored, farming wasn't for me, and I left."  
  
Necia replied, "Most of the mercs I know want land-sounds like you want to get away from farming."  
  
I snorted. "I never said that-though I have had about enough of it, come to think about it-if I survive being a merc, what I'd like to do is start an inn."  
  
Necia looked around. "Well, you'll have competition if you try in Wandersrest...this inn has settled quite firmly into its niche."  
  
"This is now, that's later," I remarked.  
  
"Too true," Necia agreed, "Now, to change the subject.."  
  
The gleam in her eye gave her away. "What's the first thing you notice in a man?" asked Necia.  
  
I heaved an inward sigh, concealing it by taking a sip of beer. "That they're men." (AN: Actual answer from my friend!)  
  
Necia frowned at me. "No, I mean-well, I always fall for eyes," she sighed.  
  
I raised an eyebrow. "And this relates to inns...how?"  
  
Necia kicked me. "So, what do you notice?"  
  
"Other than that they're men? No, don't answer that. Um...the way they move. Whether or not they're mercs. Who trained them, if they're Wanderers."  
  
"The ones trained by Sabre do move a certain way, don't they?" agreed Necia.  
  
She frowned again. "Quit changing the subject! Are you completely unromantic?"  
  
Unbidden, the image of Helia's laughing face when I told her one of Kree's blunt comments about people-a fat merchant, this time-came to mind.  
  
"No, I wouldn't say that," I replied slowly.  
  
"Good. I won't have to orate long speeches about romantic gestures at you until you beg for mercy, then," said Necia, mischief in her eyes.  
  
"Noooo...anything but that..." I groaned.  
  
Just then, Leon meandered to our table and sat down. "Hey, ladies."  
  
Both Necia and I aimed blows at him.  
  
All three of us cracked up as Leon squeaked, but I was wondering what was wrong with me.  
  
--------------------------------------------------  
  
Poor Liluye...  
  
~Fireblade K'Chona 


	11. Ground and what?

Kell! Disclaimer time!  
  
Kell: :Bondmate no-own. Blade own Kree and Liluye and plot.:  
  
Fireblade: Good birdie. *scratches Kell's head*  
  
Cerulean Sky: I know, there's nothing wrong with being shaych...but this is Rethwellan, and she's been raised to think it's wrong. I think I need a random trainer to go smack sense into her head. Except then Kree would attack them...hmm, I need a new plan.  
  
Vreader: Blonde jokes? Aaaaaa! *pretends to run away* Breathe! I don't want a dead reviewer! That means paperwork and less reviews!  
  
Happy Halloween or whatever you call it! All Hallows Eve, Samhain...happy whatever! Eat candy!  
  
Muse responsible: Rrissa!  
  
And this chappie is a few candlemarks after the inn.  
  
Onto the story!  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------  
  
I sat crosslegged on my bed, sharpening my dagger for lack of anything else to do.  
  
Kree sat on his perch outside, preening himself as night approached and the sky grew dim.  
  
The sharpening-stone whisked along the blade's edge as the turmoil of emotions whirled within me.  
  
[What the hell was that this afternoon? Why can't I connect with Necia on romance? Or any of the girls, really?]  
  
"By now that blade must be sharp enough to cut the wind," came a voice as the door opened and closed.  
  
My heart clenched oddly as I jumped. "Helia?"  
  
"No, it's a demon come to kill you," teased Helia. "You've been sharpening that knife for almost a candlemark, you know."  
  
I blushed. "Um...I got...preoccupied."  
  
Helia lit a lamp, bringing sudden illumination to the room, and flopped down on one of the cushions by the fireplace. "Preoccupied with what, pray?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.  
  
I was having a difficult time looking her in the eye. [What am I going to say?]  
  
:Bondmate ground and center, emotions calm,: came Kree's comment.  
  
I looked at him. "What?"  
  
Kree turned his head to look at me. :Ground, center,: he said, as if talking to a little.  
  
"Bird, you're confusing me."  
  
Kree clicked his beak in irritation. :Find center of self, everything circles around that, hold it like Vale holds Heartstone.:  
  
"Um...what? Kree, what the hell are you talking about?"  
  
Helia watched this exchange with some amusement, but I had little chance to notice this when Kree reached into my mind, grasped my "self" and "tossed" it towards-something.  
  
"Bird, don't DO that!" I squeaked-then realized that with his help, I had found my "center," whatever that was.  
  
"What was all that about?" asked Helia.  
  
"Kree kept telling me to 'ground and center,' whatever the hell that means, then picked up my mind and chucked me at it when I was too slow," I explained.  
  
Helia looked at Kree. "I thought that mind-magickers weren't supposed to do that!" she said, half to me, half to Kree.  
  
Kree ducked his head and looked a bit ashamed.  
  
:You shove emotions through crop, head itch, I mad,: he said in apology to me.  
  
"It's all right, bird...just don't do that again," I said, softening.  
  
Helia settled back on her cushions and repeated her original question, "So, what were you preoccupied with?"  
  
A wave of longing for-something, I wasn't sure what-washed through me, but I forced it away. "Well, I went into town and the Lone Hawk Inn...I haven't had beer in a while. Maybe I had too much."  
  
Helia frowned at me. "You're changing the subject."  
  
Unable to look at her anymore, I shifted my gaze back to Kree.  
  
Helia, apparently deciding that she wouldn't get anything out of me, dropped the subject. "Thanks for calling in Kree today...first time we scored a kill on Sabre!" she said lightly.  
  
I laughed. "Well, she did say to use our imaginations!"  
  
Helia mock-bowed at me. "Your Majesty."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"Queen of Imagination," explained Helia with a grin.  
  
I stretched and yawned, putting the knife on my bedside table. "I think I need sleep..." I managed to say between yawns.  
  
Helia nodded and picked up a book she had been reading for the past few days, engrossing herself in it as I pulled on a sleeping tunic and trews.  
  
Rolling into bed, I extinguished my lamp and stared out the window at Kree, watching as the first few stars of night appeared.  
  
Kree, too, settled on his perch and tucked his head under his wing.  
  
The whirl of emotion inside me subsiding slightly, I breathed in a regular pattern taught to me by my father to force myself to sleep under most circumstances-in case I had to go early to bed because of an extra-early rising-and fell quickly into dreams.  
  
----------------------------------------------  
  
Poor Liluye. That must've been a pretty uncomfortable conversation.  
  
~Fireblade K'Chona 


	12. Frayley

Disclaimer: You know that I don't own Mercedes Lackey. I possess her works, but that's it.  
  
Earthangel: Have cake today!  
  
Cerulean Sky: Poor Riverwind.  
  
Darkfyre: Yes, it's spelled right. As for dead in the black...you were right a review or two ago...that's the acid bomb-things. I think. I can't find it right now.  
  
EvilGenius92389: You'll just have to see about being unrequited...no, they're not lifebonded. I'm trying to avoid lifebonds for once...and I think that Kree's bond is enough. No, *if* Liluye and Helia get together, they'll be just plain, uh...*thinks* shieldmates! Yay! I remembered! And I doubt bondbirds can lifebond...Companions are humans in a weird shape, bondbirds are just...birds. Yeah.  
  
Hawk-Sister: Glad you like.  
  
LeopardDance: I vant to get Liluye to a battlefield. And as for meeting a Hawkbrother or Shi'na'in...well, I have something vague in mind, but it might not work out.  
  
Cookxenya: Found the gryphon! *pointedly ignores "not your best"*  
  
Kierseth: *sarcasm* Noooooo, Helia's her worst enemy. ;)  
  
Cat McDougall: Yes, I have seen a kyree smile...Rrissa smiles when she's about to deflate my ego by means of reciting Shi'na'in proverbs...even if it's technically not a she...  
  
Ssjbookgirl: I'll keep those suggestions in mind.  
  
Muse responsible: Rrissa.  
  
Onto the story! And Liluye's been training extra-hard, trying to put everything out of her mind, but it's about to catch up with her...ehehe. Several days later, at the Lone Hawk Inn, Liluye and some of her friends are having a conversation...  
  
----------------------------------------------------  
  
Our table lapsed into a comfortable silence, the fire crackling and the rattling of dice continuing.  
  
At last, Necia brought up a topic which I thought had been disposed of-"Who do you think you could fall in love with?"  
  
The question caught me totally off-guard. I mused about it, sipping my beer, and Sent a query to Kree.  
  
Kree was currently deeply involved in a strenuous "fungame," and had no answer for me, seeing as he was concentrating hard.  
  
At last, Leon broke the silence. "Well, I think that the only woman I'd love would have to be a fellow mercenary, because how otherwise could your partner understand what it was like, to sell your sword and maybe that you couldn't come back alive?"  
  
"True," said Helia, looking into the fire and absently fingering a charm of a silver feather on a leather string around her neck.  
  
"There's the added benefit of a partner-maybe them coming to rescue you one in a while, and being able to guard your back," said Tuvya, the newest addition to our Lone Hawk table.  
  
"I suppose that handsome or pretty isn't a requirement, though it's a nice addition," was my contribution-all I could think of to say.  
  
Helia glanced at me, the fire catching her eyes in its light for a moment. Something about her look said that perhaps there was something I wasn't actually saying...  
  
[Which there is, but even I am not sure what it is, exactly...] I mused.  
  
:I come, bondmate,: came Kree's weary thought.  
  
I groped under the table, glad for a distraction, and came up with the perch I had set underneath for occasions such as this. The Lone Hawk inn had grown used to Kree, and regarded him as a lucky bird, of sorts.  
  
A few minutes later, Kree squeezed through a window, and I was caught short at just how large he was again. The hawk-eagle would have no trouble killing a man-that beak could sever a spine as if it were butter.  
  
Yet that beak nibbled my nose gently as Kree settled onto his perch, resting back and folding his wings.  
  
"Heyla, bird. Anything new today?" I asked him conversationally. The rest of the group, used to this, continued their chat.  
  
:More arrows now, I carry balls up high and drop, dive at moving targets and bite,: said Kree, :Tree-stuff taste bad.:  
  
Before I could even raise my arm, one of the servers presented Kree with a whole rabbit-skinned and gutted, but raw. Kree cast a look of undying gratitude at the server as I rolled my eyes. "You're spoiling him!" I protested futilely as the maid smiled at Kree and scratched his head gently- once learning that the bird was intelligent as a human, the servers had taken to him.  
  
"...for me, it wouldn't even matter if the perfect person were a man," said Frayley, startling me with the tag-on. Now I wished I had heard the full sentence...  
  
[Wait. Why do I want to have heard the full sentence?] I wondered plaintively.  
  
"You mean you're-what's the word all the Sunhawks use?" said Jaonsen, "Ah, yes. She'chorne?"  
  
:Shay'a'chern!: came Kree's irritated mind-voice.  
  
:Thanks for that, featherhead...: I said a bit sarcastically.  
  
"No, not really...but if the best partner possible for me were a man..." I forgot to listen to the rest of the sentence.  
  
[Is that what I am? She'chorne, shay'a'chern, whatever-it-is?] I wondered. [No one at home ever mentioned anything remotely like this...it just never came up.]  
  
Kree gulped down the rest of his rabbit, giving me an excuse to offer him my arm.  
  
:No more?: asked Kree, plaintively.  
  
:I'll give you more when we get back,: I replied to him, mind-to-mind, anxious to just leave.  
  
Kree willingly stepped onto my wrist, his talons closing gently as he shifted. :Ach, bird, you're heavy.:  
  
:Home now? More food?: asked Kree.  
  
:Right.: I said this to Kree only half paying attention, the rest of me absorbed in my own thoughts.  
  
I left the Lone Hawk Inn in the gathering darkness amid a few odd looks from my fellow recruits, yet I ignored them and headed for the barracks.  
  
Nearing the wall where my window was, I tossed Kree into the air. With a few wingbeats, he glided over the roof and around the corner, where I knew he would settle on his perch.  
  
I stopped at the kitchen and picked up his allotted dinner, still stumbling through my turmoil of emotions.  
  
Kree hopped inside and ate gratefully as I changed into a nightshirt and sat at the window, my mind buzzing with activity.  
  
I spoke under my breath, needing to hear something to properly sort out my thoughts. "If Frayley doesn't care whether his lovers are male or female, then what does that make me?" I stated the first question carefully, getting up and starting to pace.  
  
Then, glancing at Kree, I shielded my thoughts lightly, a mere screen which he could break through if he needed to, but somehow wanting to keep this private.  
  
[I know I never really cared for the various suitors Mother hinted at back at home,] I continued in my mind, [But I thought that was just because they were great galumphing idiots...]  
  
"So I must be shay'a'chern," I murmured, trying the word for the first time.  
  
The implications of that admission made me grow cold for a moment that lasted forever, until-  
  
"Why'd you run off like that?" came a familiar voice, the door opening, then closing. My heart twisting, I turned to face Helia.  
  
"Kree was hungry-" I began, but Helia cut in. "You know that those servers would have stuffed him-there wasn't any reason to bring him here. You didn't even finish your drink."  
  
Kree hopped to his perch, and I set the tray outside the door to avoid Helia's eyes.  
  
"Are you all right?" asked Helia, taking a close look at my face. "You're flushed."  
  
She laid the back of her hand against my forehead. The touch, however innocuous, made me blush harder.  
  
"You're warm," observed Helia, testing her own forehead. "Perhaps you should see the Healer."  
  
"No, no-" I said, distractedly, "I'll be all right."  
  
Helia frowned at me for a moment. "Well, if you're sure..."  
  
I got into my bed and burrowed into the blankets, facing the window. I forced my breathing into a slow rhythm, then managed to relax enough to let sleep conquer me.  
  
I awoke before dawn the next morning, dressed, and left the room, careful not to disturb my slumbering roommate. Heading down the stairs, I entered the mess hall, automatically heading for my usual seat.  
  
There were a few other early risers, some of them yawning, others looking disgustingly cheerful, yet no one sat at my table except Frayley.  
  
"So, joining the ranks of the morning larks?" asked Frayley, cheerfully buttering a piece of bread and handing it to me.  
  
"I'm-not sure," I said, taking the bread and holding it.  
  
"You don't seem to be sure about a lot of things, do you?" said Frayley, looking at me sharply.  
  
I stared at him. He chuckled. "You forget that I notice things, a lot more things than most would give me credit for," he said.  
  
I set down the bread, slowly. "What do you mean?" I asked, fighting to get the words out.  
  
Frayley propped his chin on his elbow and looked directly into my eyes. "Fleeing the Lone Hawk Inn last night, carefully avoiding the subject of love-I can put two and two together."  
  
I continued staring at him. Frayley reached across the table and closed my mouth, which had opened without my noticing. "I doubt you'd enjoy flies," he explained.  
  
I couldn't seem to talk-my body had gone numb.  
  
"You don't seem hungry-perhaps some weaponry-practice?" Frayley said genially.  
  
Somehow, I managed to stand and follow him to the training grounds. Once there, Frayley handed me a stave, took one himself, and saluted me.  
  
Beginning one of the most basic blow-and-block combinations I knew, Frayley seemed disinclined to talk before I did.  
  
At last, I managed something coherent. "Why?" I asked, not quite able to finish the question.  
  
"You mean, why am I telling you all this?" said Frayley, speeding the pattern slightly. I nodded.  
  
Frayley sighed, not stopping the rhythmic sound of our clashing staves. "I suppose it's because you're floundering about, and it started irritating me. Obviously, you don't know that much about being she'chorne-"  
  
"I didn't even know about it all, really, before last night," I managed, accidentally forgetting to block and earning a stinging smack on my arm.  
  
"Anyway, I decided you needed someone to talk to besides a bird." Frayley halted the pattern and took my stave, placing it back in the rack. Clapping me on the shoulder, he said, "If you need someone to talk to, go ahead and talk. Let's get some breakfast, hmm?"  
  
I followed him back to the mess hall, still wondering exactly what this was about.  
  
--------------------------------------------  
  
Poor confoozled Liluye...  
  
~Fireblade K'Chona 


	13. Conversations

Disclaimer: I do not own...yadayadayada...blah blah bleh...you know that it's just me, slightly insane *cough* fanficcer, Fireblade K'Chona...no, I don't own...this is a very long disclaimer...  
  
Happy Turkey Day, Americans! Have pie! (no, not punkin...unless you want punkin...I don't really like punkin pie that much...)  
  
...and now it's Christmas. *guilty squirm* Um...finals caught up with me, so I kinda...forgot? *looks hopeful*  
  
Ssjbookgirl: I'll keep that in mind!  
  
Cat McDougall: Go hide somewhere. Preferably in a cave on a sheer cliff...kyree don't climb sheer stone all that well.  
  
Q. Jackson: Thankees!  
  
Cerulean Sky: I know...well, she'd already half-admitted it to herself, but Frayley just kinda kicked her into it because he's exasperated at all the angsting...and he's an inveterate matchmaker.  
  
Hawk-Sister: Here's more.  
  
Mysticmoods: I'm not quite sure...Frayley is bi, but I think Liluye's just all-around shaych.  
  
Faeborn2930: Thankees! I'm flattered!  
  
Kierseth: Yeah, I thought she needed someone too...  
  
Cookxenya: Yeah...currently we're at point A, and then there's point B, being Helia falling in love with Liluye, but there's the distance between them, first...and we don't even know if she's shaych, do we? Well, actually, I know, but you don't!  
  
RayeNightstorm: Heylo, Online Shoulder! Glad you reviewed...aww, warm fuzzies.  
  
Lightning Rain: Well, the thing is, I don't know what would be a nickname- you pronounce Liluye as Lil-(as in lily)-U-(as in you)-Yuh. (as in duh, with more pronunciation of the H.)  
  
EvilGenius: Thank you for the mini-Firebirds! Want one of them? Take your pick...and yes, misspelled countries count...  
  
*huggles all reviewers and loads them with pies*  
  
Muse responsible: Rrissa!  
  
Onto the story! You know, I should put the sidenote BEFORE I say "Onto the story..." but oh well.  
  
Sorry for leaving this so long! Scary things are probably happening...mercs and their parties...tsk, tsk.  
  
------------------------------------------------  
  
The days passed in sort of a blur of training, training, language class, Survival, and training.  
  
I was becoming quite proficient with the two axes, and was currently working with a battle-axe, and trying to figure out how I could shrink them and use two at the same time.  
  
Chester turned out to be a fairly good fighter, for a horse, and Kree, deadly even without training, had become nearly unstoppable. Someone had come up with a very light armor for his chest-proof against arrows, supposedly-but it didn't work too well.  
  
Kree now wore the bracelets for jesses, even though I did not possess jesses. They could be used for carrying a light rope over things, I supposed, but didn't have any clear idea why Kree wanted them.  
  
But the training season for us was nearly over-soon, "my" group of recruits would go into the field.  
  
Leon was in officer-training, presumably to command the little scout-group. There were eight of us in all-Helia, Tuvya, Leon, Frayley, Necia, Jaonsen, Kree, and me.  
  
The Wanderers had taken to Kree with extreme liking, pampering him and talking to him, even swapping jokes with him, with me along as "translator."  
  
All in all, our scout group was mostly ready.  
  
I lay in bed one night, staring at the ceiling. Helia slept quietly in the other bed. She always fell asleep quickly, but I had become something of an insomniac...  
  
[It isn't enough to keep me busy, really. I can speak most trade-tongue dialects, Rethwellan, of course, Jkathan, and the Tayledras that Kree deigns to teach me, I'm training hard with an axe, but I still feel like there's something missing.]  
  
:Sleep, probably,; muttered Kree into my mind, having picked up my train of thought-again. :Shield, bondmate, I no can sleep.:  
  
I put up a thin screen of a shield and continued musing. [He's probably right...I don't sleep well anymore. Even that trick my dad taught me isn't working too well.]  
  
I got out of bed quietly and went to the window, scratching Kree's crest as he shifted on his perch, muttering.  
  
I looked out at the stars, picking out different constellations idly. [There's the Wain, and the Hunter...the Cat...]  
  
I chuckled quietly. [And there's a grouping of stars that looks sort of like Wendell.]  
  
Moving away from my window, I sat back down on the bed, now looking into the fireplace.  
  
"Can't sleep?" came Helia's voice, unexpectedly.  
  
I started. "No, I can't. Did I wake you?"  
  
"No," replied Helia, sitting up and stretching.  
  
"Oh," was the only reply I could think of.  
  
"Sleeping is difficult, these days, sometimes," said Helia, twisting to sit on the edge of the bed, facing me.  
  
"I know. They're going to send us into the field, soon, if we get an offer," I said, moving my gaze from the fire to her face.  
  
"Even if we don't get an offer, we'll be gone," said Helia, "This is a peculiar Company. I like it."  
  
"Any offers had better come soon, or they won't find us!" I said, grinning.  
  
"No, they won't."  
  
I picked up the knitting I had started a few days ago and continued on my scarf, as was a farmgirl's habit.  
  
[Though I'm not really a farmgirl anymore...]  
  
"There's been something going on with you, and I want to know what it is," Helia said, suddenly, looking sharply at me.  
  
I faltered in my knitting for a moment, the steady click of the needles halting before I caught myself.  
  
"Thought so. Now, what is it?" pressed Helia, reading the signs of my uneasiness.  
  
I studied my knitting for a moment, picking up a dropped stitch before I answered. "There-there's nothing to tell," I said, working my needle through the yarn.  
  
"You're lying."  
  
I looked back at Helia, my insides twisting, trying to keep my expression steady. I knitted the dropped stitch back in without looking, continuing the steady rhythm of the needles. "No, I'm-"  
  
"Yes, you are," said Helia, all traces of sleepiness gone from her voice. "I'm your friend, Liluye. You can tell me," she said, her voice turning gentle.  
  
I remained mute, staring down at my knitting. Helia waited, patiently...  
  
"Well, I see you're not going to tell me. If you need anyone..." her voice trailed off.  
  
I nodded, finishing the row and putting the knitting down.  
  
Slipping back into bed, I stared at the ceiling, an unhappy lump in my throat.  
  
If I hadn't been so absorbed in my own turmoil of thoughts, I would have realized that the silence from Helia meant that she was lying awake as well...  
  
------------------------------------------  
  
Poor Liluye-kins. For those of you who said you wanted...action...I'm trying to keep this realistic and take it slowly. Hope you like.  
  
~Fireblade K'Chona 


	14. Setting Out

Wow, I really don't like to waste this time...  
  
Ah well, I'll try writing in rhyme!  
  
Now you know that I own Liluye and Kree,  
  
But the rest of it sure don't belong to me!  
  
Hope you liked the disclaimer. *bow* And in a break from tradition, I'm doing the review responses at the end! *gasp, horror*  
  
I don't own most of the songs, either, but I do own the Wanderer's theme song.  
  
Muse responsible: Tis the Lady Rrissa.  
  
Rrissa: :I'm not a lady, I'm an it. A neuter. Get that through your head or I won't help you.:  
  
Fireblade: *gulp* OK, I'll try again...  
  
Muse responsible: Tis the Honorable Venerated Kyree Rrissa.  
  
Rrissa: :Better. Onto the story.:  
  
-----------------------------------------------  
  
I skipped into Helia's and my room, caroling with joy. "We get to leave Wandersrest and do one of Wendell's 'training missions!'" I sang, dancing around the room gleefully.  
  
Helia whooped with joy and leapt up. "In other words, he's bored and wants to leave," she said, grinning.  
  
I mock-scowled at her. "Now, now, training missions are nothing to be joked about," I said sternly, then ruined the lie by laughing.  
  
Kree landed on his perch outside the window, fixing us with a bright golden eye. :We go?: he queried, rather confused by the dancing around the room.  
  
"Yes, Kree, we get to leave and go see interesting things!" I crowed, attempting a cartwheel, failing miserably, and crashing into the foot of my bed. "Ow-no, I'm all right," I said to Helia.  
  
Kree's end of the bond surged with happiness as he leapt off the perch and flew high, giving a joyful scream as he rode the wind.  
  
"What should we take?" said Helia, immediately getting down to business. "And when do we leave?"  
  
"This afternoon!" I said, still grinning from ear to ear.  
  
"That only gives us two candlemarks!" said Helia, her eyes widening as she dove for the chest at the foot of her bed.  
  
I moved to my chest, which I had moved against the wall, and tossed my packs onto the bed. "Clothes, clothes, raincloak-Supplies will have the tent and things. I think they go on the packhorses," I said as I flung more things onto the bed.  
  
I hauled out the Kree gear and eyed it, wondering how much I could reduce the weight. "Um..." I murmured, looking through the box, selecting out several things. "Imping kit's a given...the hood, basic medical kit, leather-repairing kit..." I leaned back, biting my lip. "Still need a perch, and the one in the corner's too big," I muttered.  
  
"Do you have an arm-gauntlet?" asked Helia, glancing up from her trunk.  
  
I waved my left arm at her, showing the stiff gauntlet attached to my wrist. "I'm taking the staff, but..." I said, letting my sentence trail.  
  
"I suppose we could lash it on the tent somehow..." said Helia, eying the staff by the door, marked with clawmarks at one end. "Shouldn't be that hard, with an ex-falconer and an ex-farmgirl..."  
  
I nodded, forming a picture of what it would look like. "That'd work if there weren't any trees around. And if it rains...well, he's smart, I guess we could bring him in the tent."  
  
That figured, I went back to my packing.  
  
Eventually, I ended up with a few sets of spare clothes, my raincloak, Kree gear, a medical kit, my knitting, and a few other odds and ends. The packs weren't that much bigger than the one I'd left home with-the problem was that there were two of them.  
  
I stared at them as Thera poked her head through the door. "Got everything? Looks like it...good." She looked over Helia's set of packs, then mine. "That looks fine. You'll have a packpony between you, so you should be all right. Let's go."  
  
I strapped on my axes and picked up the staff by the door, laboring out under the weight of the packs to where Chester waited. Helia's horse, Dusty, waited nearby, a shaggy spotted packpony tethered beside him.  
  
:Kree!: I called, setting my packs down and bracing the staff over my shoulders.  
  
Kree wheeled above and gave me a momentary glimpse of the stableyard through his eyes-filled with people laughing and loading their horses.  
  
Diving down, he settled onto the edge of the staff across my shoulders. Despite myself, I staggered under his weight-he had grown quite a bit since we had first bonded.  
  
Picking up the packs, I transferred Kree to Chester's saddle as I loaded them onto the pony. Helia grinned at me from the other side of the spotted gelding, saying, "We should name him."  
  
My treacherous heart had twisted at her smile, but my feeling of well-being was too strong to be easily unseated. "How about Poochie?" I said mockingly, tossing a name from one of her falconer's stories back at her. One of the sons of Lord Nadoc, about seven years old, had been given a merlin. He had promptly named the poor bird Poochie. Helia swatted me with a loose packstrap. "No, no, no, and no."  
  
"Well, why don't we call him Spot until we feel more original, then?" I asked, tightening the buckle on one of the packs.  
  
Helia nodded and tethered "Spot's" rein to the back of Dusty's saddle. I swung up into Chester's, taking Kree onto my arm and somehow ending up in the proper seat. Chester, used to Kree's presence by now, didn't move as he scented hawk.  
  
I braced my hand on the pommel of the saddle as Kree shifted for a better view. "Stay with me till we get out of Wandersrest, and I'll launch you," I promised, and Kree sent a surge of assent down the bond.  
  
After about a quarter of a candlemark, after which my wrist was aching, Wendell finally motioned us forward. Leon, proudly wearing his co- officer's badge, motioned my recruit group into formation.  
  
At last, we rode out of the town, a great stream of mercs in a good mood, bantering cheerfully and some of us singing songs.  
  
I launched Kree with a great heave of my arm as he flapped, flying majestically through the air and over the Company, to pull up and hover a few moments above Wendell, who glanced up at him and laughed. :Show-off!: I called to him mockingly.  
  
:Me?: Kree asked innocently. :I only meek bird.:  
  
I chuckled quietly at him.  
  
"Where are we going?" asked Helia, nudging Dusty over to chat with me.  
  
"I think Kata'shi'na'in," I said, "I could be wrong, but I think Wendell wants to get us raw recruits some better horse-gear."  
  
"Mm," said Helia, thoughtfully. I stole a sideways glance at her...the sun reflected off her short hair, pulled into a small tail at the back of her neck, and she was absently chewing her lip, as was her habit when thinking...  
  
:Moon-eyed,: said Kree.  
  
Blushing, I yanked my eyes back to the road. :Thank you for your unvarnished opinion,: I sent back sarcastically.  
  
:You're welcome,: said Kree-and I couldn't tell whether or not he was serious. [Bird's getting smarter by the day...]  
  
"Liluye?" said Helia.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Why are you so red?"  
  
I bit off a curse, blushing again. "Um-I don't know," I lied.  
  
Helia raised an eyebrow. [She suspects...] came the sudden, horrifying thought.  
  
"Well, if you're sure," said Helia.  
  
I shifted in my saddle.  
  
"Ride, warrior, ride!" came the sudden sung lyric from behind us.  
  
"With a blade by your side!" Helia and I chorused in unison, joining the song.  
  
"Follow on your spirit-steed, while wounds darken and bleed! Drink the wind as you fly!" sang the rest of the Company, joining into the song, surprisingly on-key.  
  
Kree swooped low over the Wanderers as he heard 'drink the wind as you fly.' He soared upwards again at the rear of the Company, with the extra packponies in strings.  
  
"Hear the night beasts cry! Cold tears run with the rain...down a horse's mane..." we sang.  
  
"That's not a song to be going on with! Too gloomy!" shouted a voice with a broad country accent from the back.  
  
"Deep into the stony hills, miles from town or hold!" the voice continued, and we changed songs.  
  
"A troupe of guards comes riding with a lady and her gold!"  
  
We continued singing as we rode, switching from adventurous ballads to raucous drinking songs, at last falling into the song that every Wanderer knew.  
  
"You might see us wandering under the sky, come rain, come snow, come sleet and hail-"  
  
"But if you're not watching we'll silent pass by, not even the jingling from our silver mail!"  
  
The song didn't always make a whole lot of sense, per se, but the tune was easy to learn, and it was our song.  
  
Several hours of easy riding passed. At last, Wendell signaled a halt, and, catching my eye from the rise, jerked his head at Kree and moved his mouth. I nodded-I was near the end, and could hardly see him, and that was exactly the point. He would give orders, Kree would relay them to me, and I would relay them to everyone else.  
  
:Captain say, 'We've gone easy for you new recruits. Expect to be saddle- sore from now on.':  
  
I repeated the orders in the "officers voice," so named for the ability to carry over a battlefield.  
  
At the edge of my hearing, I could hear the chief Healer talking to the supply lines-this part of the road was narrow, and the Company was large.  
  
:Wendell say, 'We camp now.' He turn and lead, now.:  
  
"We camp now!" I called out, and nudged Chester forward.  
  
Soon, the camp was laid out precisely in order-the tents in neat rows. Helia and I figured out how to get the tent up by watching several others and remembering our training, but we still took three times the time it took the veterans.  
  
Kree circled above, and I sent to him-:I'm coming.:  
  
"I'm going to hunt with Kree," I said to Helia, and she nodded, this having been our dinner on the way to Wandersrest.  
  
It didn't take long for Kree to find us two rabbits, and a bird I didn't recognize for himself.  
  
Helia and I ate contentedly in front of our tent, to the rather envious looks of a few who had to hunt their own supper, choosing not to take from Supplies. [I could probably earn money off Kree catching dinner...] I thought to myself.  
  
"As fun as this is," said Helia as the sun began to set, and Kree found a tree to roost for the night, "I can't wait for our first campaign..."  
  
I nodded, not really finding anything else to say, except for the vague feeling that campaigns weren't "fun" in any aspect.  
  
---------------------------------------------  
  
Darkfyre: Disturbing indeed. And Rethwellans tend to be homophobic...poor Liluye. Mercs are more open-minded, though...  
  
Hawk: Me too, but there's no commanding the muses.  
  
Ckk: The pie is a reward, but you get cupcakes today! Virtual ones, don't electrocute yourself, please!  
  
I am sorry if these updates take so long. The thing is, my muses have decided that they don't like winter and have relocated to Bermuda for a while. *sigh* I managed to get Rrissa back for a bit, but she's leaving soon...oh well. I'll work hard to get these up as fast as I can.  
  
~Fireblade K'Chona 


	15. The Plot Thickens!

Disclaimer: After the one in verse last time, let's just refrain for a while, shall we?  
  
Muse Responsible: Rrissa!  
  
Darkfyre: Here's your update!  
  
Hawk: Yes, she is paranoid. Very, very paranoid. Little eccentricities.....  
  
Lightning Rain: Somehow, I think you're going to laugh at the nickname Liluye gets stuck with.....  
  
Zila Kaelar: Thanks. I need the good luck. Wimpy muses.....*mutter, mutter*  
  
Kierseth: O.O  
  
Well, here's more in any case.  
  
Ssjbookgirl: I know. But I'm trying to keep Liluye going at her own pace. It's not just, "I love you!" "I love you too!" *muchas smoochas* There's a plot involved.  
  
.....ok, there may be muchas smoochas in other cases, but not this one.  
  
Shahanna: Liluye's just got Mindspeech, and fairly weak at that. If she met a Herald, (which she probably won't) she'd probably be able to Mindspeak the Herald in question, but not much more than that.  
  
Onto the story!  
  
----------------------------------------  
  
This was fun. I couldn't remember when I'd been happier. Some may have called me insane, living with a whole company of people, rising at dawn, riding the full day and stopping only at dusk-but despite all that, I was still happy.  
  
As was Kree. He flew for most of the day, performing aerial acrobatics to beg treats off the other Wanderers. I teased him about that, but he ignored me in favor of the choice bits of meat he was earning.  
  
It was dawn, and I was awake. Kree had a habit of getting me up to feed him-a worthy cause, so I didn't complain. It was really rather nice, in the chill before morning, just me and a hawk-eagle sitting outside a tent and eating.  
  
After he ate, I would launch him into the air and shake Helia up. This morning, she wasn't in the mood to awaken. "Helia!" I said, cheerfully, shaking her right shoulder.  
  
"Ahrnfg."  
  
"Time to get up."  
  
"Go 'way."  
  
"You know, this conversation is getting old."  
  
"Fine."  
  
Fairly quickly, Helia was up, we were packed, and the tent was down. Spot patiently waited as we loaded our gear onto him and tied him to Dusty.  
  
Mounting Chester, I held out my arm.  
  
Kree came flying in, settling onto my forearm. [I'm getting stronger.....I can hold him up!] I thought.  
  
We rode.  
  
I had discovered that I could ride in a sort of trance, as it were. Kree glided lazily above us, and I distanced myself from the world, watching passively.  
  
And returning to my thoughts. The one problem with this monotonous riding was that it gave you plenty of time to worry and agonize over things.  
  
[I love her. I'm sure of it,] I thought, glancing at Helia, who was involved in a lively discussion with Necia.  
  
[But if I tell her, it will destroy our friendship.]  
  
This wasn't anything new. I was thinking in circles, but I couldn't shock myself out of the loop.  
  
We rode.  
  
After a few hours, Wendell halted the Company. Kree floated forward and listened, relaying his words to me. I wasn't needed as much on the wider roads, but we were still large enough for me to be useful.  
  
:He say-"We will be stopping at a town in half a candlemark. We stay until noon tomorrow. Try not to get too drunk.":  
  
I relayed this, to a rumble of laughter at the last comment.  
  
A town! A sight other than the road!  
  
It didn't take us long. We stopped at the edge of town and made a rough camp, before most of the mercs headed for the taverns.  
  
I took some of the afternoon to hunt with Kree. He ate well and, crop bulging, fluttered to a tree to digest.  
  
Trying not to laugh at him, I headed for the town.  
  
The inn I wandered into was called the Horse's Head. Not that many Wanderers were there, but those that were there waved at me. "Tweetie! Sit here!"  
  
I had gained a nickname-I had a bondbird, hence "Tweetie."  
  
"That's not very merc-like!" I protested, heading over. "How am I supposed to become a great hero with a name like 'Tweetie?'"  
  
"Your enemies will die of laughter!" shouted Frayley, the one person from my recruit-group there.  
  
I hit him and sat down. "That wasn't nice, Tweetie," he protested, rubbing his shoulder.  
  
"You deserved it," I said primly, ordering a drink.  
  
The discussion carried on, gradually growing louder as the servers refilled our mugs. A young man, probably about nineteen, kept winking at me and topping off my beer.  
  
Not wanting to be rude, I drank it.  
  
It couldn't have been much later, but it was dark as Frayley and I staggered from the tavern, singing.....something.  
  
"You're off key!" I said, managing not to slur the words.  
  
"I'm not, you are, Tweetsh," said Frayley, apparently having trouble focusing.  
  
"You're drunk."  
  
"Sho're you," he slurred, staggering again.  
  
I shook my head, which made the world swim oddly. Taking Frayley's arm, I led him slowly back to camp, keeping him upright.  
  
I left him at his tent door and wandered over to my tent. Helia looked up at me from where she had been patiently sharpening her belt-knife.  
  
The look she gave me was funny, somehow.  
  
"I drunk I'm not shw-swear," I said, trying to keep the words straight. The world was tilting.  
  
Helia gave me a very startled look this time. "I see," she said, standing. "Liluye, come with me."  
  
She took my arm gently and led me away from the tent. I leaned on her. "I think sh-something in the beer dish-disagreed with me," I said, again trying not to slur.  
  
"It certainly did," said Helia, bringing me to the stream at the side of the camp. I looked at it.  
  
"Why're we here?"  
  
"Kneel down so both of us can look. I have something to show you," said Helia, helping me down.  
  
I looked at the surface of the water. "Do you sh-see the colors, Helia?" I asked.  
  
She didn't reply, and a second later I found my head immersed in ice-cold stream water.  
  
She let me up, spluttering. "Wha-why-" I managed to get out, before she dunked me again.  
  
It took several more dunks before she was satisfied. "It'll take a while for this to wear off," she said sternly. "I expect you'll be better about drinking next time, mm? Well-" she amended, "Unless I'm getting drunk with you."  
  
This made very little sense to me.  
  
Helia led me back to our tent and let me crawl into my bedroll. I said- something. I couldn't understand it.  
  
She looked at me sharply and said, "Go to sleep, Liluye. You're drunk. You don't know what you're saying."  
  
I fell into the blackness of sleep.  
  
And awoke the next day with the mother of all hangovers. "Ahwneghblrr," I groaned, sitting slowly up. Helia was still in the tent, darning a sock. "I thought you'd be waking up about now," she said, without any sympathy. "Remember-no getting drunk unless I can get drunk with you. It's no fun the other way."  
  
I rubbed my head, and a few facts clicked into place, burning whatever drunkenness I had left into sobriety.  
  
When I drank, my tongue started flapping.  
  
Helia had been privy to rather the worst part of my drunkenness.  
  
"What did I say?" I asked, my head snapping up, hangover forgotten.  
  
Helia's fingers didn't falter in their darning. "You said you loved me. You were drunk. I expect you thought I was.....Frayley, or Leon, or someone."  
  
I stared at her. [Oh, damn. Damn. Damn. Damn. Damn.]  
  
"There's willow tea by the fire," said Helia, waving vaguely outside the tent. "You'll need it."  
  
I slowly headed outside. There was indeed a mug of willow tea there, sitting beside the tiny campfire three tents shared. I swallowed it without tasting it.  
  
:Stupid bondmate. Not-drink. Head hurt, my head hurt,: said Kree, irritably.  
  
:Sorry.: I shielded.  
  
[Gods. Oh, gods. I said I loved her.]  
  
I stared into the fire, more sober than willow tea and any amount of dunkings could ever make me.  
  
-------------------------------------  
  
The plot thickens. Mwahaha.  
  
I'm sorry I haven't updated in a while, but here's a nice update, so no worries, eh?  
  
Review, please! I'm review-starved, lately! (Course, it's because I haven't been updating.....*shifty eyes* Sorry!)  
  
~Fireblade K'Chona 


	16. Lonely Riding

Disclaimer: I no own, you no sue. Savvy?  
  
Muse responsible: Rrissa!  
  
Have pie today!  
  
Darkfyre: Yup. Liluye's not going to forget that for a looong time.  
  
Cat McDougall: Not reviewing? Meep-I've been reading, to be sure...*ducks head* Sorry.  
  
Kierseth: And thank you, too.  
  
Lightning Rain: Ah. Um...could you let the plot out of the bowl now? I need it. :P  
  
Terryie: Here is more!  
  
Shahanna: Yes, poor Liluye.  
  
Hawk: Liluye's a bit thick, though...rather a lot of subtlety is lost on her. But Helia wasn't implying that. I don't think. She won't tell me! *frowns at character*  
  
The Chaotic Ones: Well, it'll get there, (I think) but I'm not going to make them fall into bed right next chapter. There's a plot I need to deal with.  
  
Queen's Own: Here's your update!  
  
Paige: And thank you for your review!  
  
Onto the story! Nix on the long sidenote, eh?  
  
--------------------------------------  
  
We rode at noon, as had been planned. To her credit, Helia left me alone as I packed and rode. I had things to think about, not to mention the remnants of the hangover to deal with.  
  
My thoughts continued down their usual course of things, with a slight twist. [She thinks I'm in love. With one of the men.]  
  
I considered this for a moment. [And I'm coward enough to let her think that,] I added, bitterly.  
  
If this didn't keep me sober in the future, I didn't know what could.  
  
The rest of my thoughts followed their usual lines-that if I told her that it was her I loved, it would destroy our friendship.  
  
This didn't help my head.  
  
Frayley nudged his horse up on my left, looking disgustingly cheerful and well. I looked at him balefully, but half the punch was gone from the glare I could usually muster.  
  
[I swear, he has a hollow leg and a hole in the bottom of his foot,] I thought, crossly. [Not a shred of hangover.]  
  
Until another thought kicked me in the shins. [Unless-well-I left him at the tents, but who's to say he stayed there?]  
  
I halted the thought dead in its tracks, but it would explain a lot.  
  
"Good afternoon!" he said, grinning. "Head at all?"  
  
I gave him another version of the Glare.  
  
"I see."  
  
We rode side-by-side for a while. Helia, on my right, was having an argument with Jaonsen over something. I glanced over at her.  
  
She sat her horse like they were one and the same creature, the sun lighting her hair-  
  
I shook my head firmly, which did nothing for my headache.  
  
"You're infatuated," said Frayley, quietly.  
  
"You knew that."  
  
"Well, with what you told me last night, I know a lot more, thank you."  
  
Gut-twisting dread filled my midsection. "What-what did I say?" I said, slowly, wondering if I truly wanted to hear the answer.  
  
"You seemed quite unaware at the time, leading me back as you were," he said, "But you basically dumped everything you've been thinking and agonizing over for the past few months on me."  
  
My shoulders drooped. "That bad?"  
  
"Exactly."  
  
Only the knowledge that Sabre would wallop me until I couldn't move for bruising held me in my seat, posting as I let Chester trot a bit.  
  
"If I'd known what I'd be in for when I said I'd lend you an ear if you needed one, I wouldn't have," said Frayley, grinning at me.  
  
It did nothing for my mood. "Then what am I supposed to do?" I asked, rather angrily. "I'm lost as it is, and you're just-"  
  
Frayley blinked. "It was a joke, Tweetie! You're jumping to conclusions."  
  
I looked down at Chester's ears. They moved back and forth, taking in the sounds of the train.  
  
"But what am I supposed to do?" I asked, this time rather forlornly.  
  
"I remember when I first went through this," said Frayley. "It wasn't really infatuation, but it was the first time I was marginally in love with a man."  
  
"I don't see the point of this," I muttered.  
  
"I'm getting to it, Tweetie. The point is-it's best to just stroll out and tell her you love her. Worry later. You'll only stress yourself, and stress gives you tension, which isn't at all good for a merc."  
  
"I already did," I whispered to the back of Chester's neck.  
  
Frayley looked surprised. "You did?"  
  
"Last night. When I-wasn't exactly sober. I said I loved her-I didn't realize I'd said it. She thinks I thought she was you, or Leon, or some other man," I said.  
  
"Are you just going to let her think that?"  
  
"I don't see what else there is to do."  
  
Frayley didn't say anything, but I could sense his disapproval. At last, he said, "I don't tell secrets that aren't mine, but this goes against my better judgment. But I suppose you should deal with it in the way that seems best to you."  
  
And somehow, that was worse than even my most tortured agonizing in the dead of night.  
  
:Head still hurt?: said Kree, sensing my mood and attempting to be delicate.  
  
:It hurts. But my heart hurts more.:  
  
Kree couldn't quite comprehend this. :Simple,: he said, :You offer her feather or flower, she say yes or no. If love her lots, offer one of my feathers.:  
  
:What?: This was new to me, and best of all, a distraction.  
  
:Offer flower or regular feather, means you love her and want to-: Kree didn't have a word for this, but the image he supplied was enough. I flushed. :All right, all right! What about your feather?: I asked, hastily.  
  
:Means you want be her lovemate. Forever,: explained Kree.  
  
This was food for thought. :So if a Hawkbrother gives a feather from their bondbird to the one they love, they are married?: I asked, trying to clarify.  
  
:Closeclose. Married, yes, but then Vale gives party!: said Kree.  
  
This was enough to make me laugh. :Can't have a marriage without a party, I suppose,: I sent back.  
  
:Well....yes, but party funfun.:  
  
:I see.:  
  
Satisfied that he had lightened my mood somewhat, Kree resumed his aerial tricks.  
  
I rode along in silence for a while, not really talking to anyone. Frayley was behind me a few horse-lengths, and, glancing back at him, I could still see disapproval on his face.  
  
[But this is different! At least...I think it is.]  
  
Now that I was thinking on it, I wondered if it truly was different, or if I was just deluding myself.  
  
At a loss, I muttered, "Men," under my breath.  
  
This seemed to level the equation, but I knew that it was only a matter of time before I had to confront it again...  
  
----------------------------------------  
  
Wow. This is more angsty than I thought it would be.  
  
Course, I never expected her to be shaych.  
  
Ah well. Right now I'm just following the character and seeing what she does...  
  
Reviews are loved!  
  
~Fireblade K'Chona 


	17. Kata'shi'na'in

Disclaimer: I don't own Mercedes Lackey. I do own the plot. Whee.  
  
Reviewers: Thank you for being so patient with me. I love you all. And you deserve fresh-baked choccy chip cookies!  
  
Queen's Own: Here is more!  
  
Faeborn2930: I've been chained...*bemused*  
  
Shahanna: It's bugging Helia to no end, but Liluye's afraid it'll ruin their friendship.  
  
Kierseth: That's just the problem...she doesn't know.  
  
Hawk: Dead in the black. *groan* They have minds of their own! Not that this is bad...mostly...  
  
Ssjbookgirl: Yes, but seeing Liluye's reluctance now, it's doubtful it'll happen anytime soon.  
  
Cerulean Sky: I agree with Frayley, too. But it wouldn't be in-character for Liluye. She has to agonize first. It's soo much haaaarderrrr! *whimpers*  
  
...but it does give me a nice plot to work with.  
  
Lightning Rain: Thank you! For both the plot and the review!  
  
Paige: Good question. Kree was born in a Vale and lived there for about two and a half years before he got bored, left, and found Liluye. He's still not fully mature.  
  
Kree's Physical statistics: Golden-brown feathers, golden eyes, long sharp talons, built like an eagle, but slightly smaller-slightly for a bondbird meaning a wingspan of about nine-twelve feet. That's how big an owl-eagle is. A bondbird eagle has a wingspan of nearly fifteen feet. Kree's wingspan is about eleven feet or so. Really, really big. Kree is about fully-grown, but he needs to get older for his mind to fully develop. But of course, Liluye still needs to realize who and what she is, so he'll grow with her. A good match, all things considered.  
  
Muse responsible: Rrissa.  
  
Onto the story!  
  
---------------------------------------------------------  
  
To a farmgirl from western Rethwellan, Kata'shi'na'in was an exotic city of wonders. I had never seen such wonders all packed into one place. Wandersrest was nothing-nothing-compared to this.  
  
I wandered into the bazaar on foot, my purse close to my body and a knife at my hip-customers weren't allowed to carry axes or swords. I was drawing stares already, however-I had my wrist-brace on, and Kree was sitting as lightly as he could on my arm. Since he was still growing, it was no easy task to hold him there-my arm was mostly held up by determination, now. Kree looked around the bazaar, interested. As did I, but most of my attention was on not letting my bondbird fall.  
  
"Here," said a familiar voice behind me. Helia's arm appeared in my vision as Kree stepped onto hers. She handed me the staff I used.  
  
Gratefully, I swung it to my shoulders and braced it. "Thanks," I said as Kree stepped back, shifting a bit to find his balance. :Bondmate's arm not- hurt?:  
  
:I'm all right now.:  
  
:Thanks to wish-mate,: said Kree. :When you offer flower?:  
  
I almost dropped the staff. Recovering myself, I said, very quickly, mind- to-mind, :Kree, I would appreciate it if you did not discuss that here.:  
  
:Why?: Kree's thought was direct and open. :She see your needs, she help without need to ask you. Would be good mate-match.:  
  
:A friend can do that too,: I said, lamely, looking over at Helia, who had wandered off and was inspecting a stall of horse paraphernalia-and haggling over a currycomb.  
  
[Gods, I'm low. I'm lying even in my own mind...and to the one that shares my mind.]  
  
This prompted a pang of guilt. [Can I do that to Kree?...]  
  
Kree was still waiting for my answer.  
  
Reluctantly, I said, :I-I can't. I'm afraid it would ruin our friendship. Forever.:  
  
Kree tilted his head as he considered this. :Afraid she refuse flower?:  
  
:Yes,: I replied, for lack of a better answer. :Can we continue this conversation later? I want to shop.:  
  
:If I can look.:  
  
:Of course you can, bird,: I chuckled, scratching his crest carefully. That done with, I wandered over to a jewelry-stall. The merchant eyed Kree nervously.  
  
"He's very well-trained and intelligent," I said, reassuringly. "And if he pecks at anything," I continued, looking up at Kree, who merely looked innocent, "Someone will get a long lecture about being the same species as magpies, but it doesn't have to mean they'll act like them."  
  
:I? I innocent bird,: said Kree. :Not-peck shinies.:  
  
The merchant looked at me curiously. "He won't do anything," I amended, and leaned forward to inspect the rings he had to sell.  
  
I didn't really have enough to buy any at his prices, so instead I straightened and moved on.  
  
Kree continued to draw odd looks. [One good thing about this...] I reflected as I stepped out of the way of a pile of manure, [Is that everyone gets out of my way. And no one's going to try and attack me, either-]  
  
I didn't get to finish this thought, however, before someone grabbed my arm. I whirled, to an undignified squawk from Kree as he righted himself, and found myself face-to face with...  
  
Well, it'd be more accurate to say face-to-collarbone with a Shi'na'in who was about a foot taller than I. "You. With me. Now," he said, shortly, in the trade-tongue.  
  
I had absolutely no intention of going with him, and tried to wriggle out of his grip. Kree took off as I struggled, gaining height, then whirling and diving, only-  
  
The Shi'na'in somehow got me in front of him, so Kree's fisted claws hit my chest as I threw up my free arm in defense. Kree's eyes went wide with shock as I toppled onto the Shi'na'in, landing in a tangle of staff, legs, arms, and bird. :Sorry!: he said, frantically, into my mind. :Bondmate all right? I try to get mean one, he twist too fast, I hit you! Bondmate broken?:  
  
"Just-bruised, I think," I coughed out in Rethwellan. Kree managed to stand, slowly, on my chest. "I don't know about him, though."  
  
"Get off. Now," said a clipped voice from beneath me.  
  
Taking Kree onto my arm and launching him into the air, I Sent, :Circle above, very high. I'll call if I need you.: To the Shi'na'in, I said, "Considering that this is all your fault, I'd think you could be nicer.  
  
I was answered by a sudden heave of muscles beneath me. Suddenly, I was standing, and the Shi'na'in was standing as well, brushing himself off and handing me my staff. "I apologize," he said, shortly. "I was abrupt."  
  
I glared at him. "Considering that you grabbed me, panicked my bondbird, then had him attack me instead of you with a flashy fighting-move, when I had done absolutely nothing to you, you should be nicer." Looking around, I saw several Wanderers converging on us, Helia and Leon among them, several others I knew less well, all of them looking rather angry.  
  
"Are you all right?" demanded Leon as the Wanderers moved between me and the Shi'na'in. "Is Kree?" All this was in rapid Rethwellan, so the Shi'na'in had less chance of understanding us.  
  
"Kree's fine," I said, "My chest bloody hurts, but I don't think anything's broken. I'm not sure about that one, though-"I jerked my head sourly at the Shi'na'in-"But he had my arm just about in the breaking-hold."  
  
The Shi'na'in looked rather irritated and tried to shove the Wanderers between us aside. They stood firm, braced against the shoves, not moving. [Thank the gods for Company loyalty,] I thought, gratefully. [Everyone looks out for everyone else.]  
  
"Please," said the Shi'na'in, in a gentler tone. "I wish to speak with her. I meant her no harm. I apologized."  
  
"Why?" asked Helia, flatly, as I stood on tiptoe to look at him.  
  
"I wish to speak to her," he repeated, "Or, rather, I wish to bring her to the shaman."  
  
We exchanged looks. There was some muttering. Then-  
  
"If two of us can go with her," said Leon, taking his authority as my specific officer. The Shi'na'in nodded resignedly. Leon looked over the group. "Me..." he said, "And Helia. We're in her scouting group, that should be enough. Thank you," he added, and the other Wanderers dispersed.  
  
The Shi'na'in turned and led us down the street. My chest aching, I followed, leaning on the staff.  
  
Down a street, cut through an alley, down another street-I kept careful track as he led us at last to a building. Knocking at the door, he called something out in Shi'na'in.  
  
He was answered, and, opening the door, he gestured us abruptly inside, saying, "Go no farther than the first room."  
  
With that, he turned and left, closing the door behind us.  
  
Looking around, I saw cushions scattered over the floor. A woman was sitting on one of them, chatting amiably with someone I thought was a Swordsworn...at least until I saw that the one in question was in dark blue.  
  
"I am the shaman of Pretera'sedrin," said the woman, standing gracefully. "My name is Li'ahe. Are you the one with the Tayledras bondbird?" she asked, looking directly at me.  
  
I swallowed. "Yes...his name is Kree."  
  
"Please step outside and call him for us," said the woman. It wasn't a request.  
  
Heading back out the door, I saw a Wanderer casually standing across the street, buying a fruit pie. Seeing me, she dropped an eyelid in a wink and turned back to the pie-vendor. Raising my arm, I said, simply, :Kree?: and waited.  
  
He landed light as a feather on my arm several minutes later. I carried him inside, carefully. The shaman's blue eyes widened. "I had thought..." she whispered in the trade-tongue, "I had thought he was just a well- trained hawk," she finished.  
  
Kree's head swiveled to glare at her. :I, just stupid hawk? I not! I bondbird! I Mindspeak! I smarter than stupid hawk! I bond to Liluye!:  
  
All this was in clear Mindspeech to everyone in the room, with various reactions. I blinked, Helia stared, Leon looked around to see where the voice was coming from, and the shaman gaped.  
  
Both Kree and I eyed her levelly. "I think," said the shaman, slowly, "That you should explain."  
  
Kree glanced at me, and we spent a moment in silent communication. At last, we agreed and sat, slowly. The shaman held out her arm. "May I see him?"  
  
"Go ahead, Kree," I murmured. Warily, the hawk-eagle spread his wings slightly and used my launch to glide across the room, wings only half- spread, landing gently on the shaman's arm, unprotected but for the sleeve of her robe. Helia and Leon sat as well, on either side of me.  
  
The shaman whispered several words I did not catch to Kree. Reluctantly-I could feel this radiating across our bond-he spread his wings fully and held them in place, folded them, turned around, and allowed the shaman to inspect him. When she was done, he hopped back to me, crest down in irritation until I scratched his head.  
  
"He is a true bondbird," said the shaman. "Would you tell me how you came by him?"  
  
"Actually, he came by me," I said, leaning back on the cushion slightly and passing Kree to Helia. "I used to be a farmgirl, but I was bored with that life, and chose to leave. I went west into the Pelagirs for a while, first, just to see what I could find, but didn't get far before Kree dived at me and bound to me. That was really quite a shock," I added, looking at him affectionately. "I didn't used to be accustomed to diving hawks. Anyway, we started traveling together to join a merc Company-Wendell's Wanderers, which I am in now. In a town along the way, I met Helia, who decided to come along with me." I nodded at my traveling partner, who inclined her head for a moment and went back to scratching Kree.  
  
"I joined the Wanderers, trained for months, and this is my first foray. We're not on a mission-"I added, "But Wendell was bored, and so we left."  
  
Li'ahe nodded, slowly. "So I see. I have traveled to the Pelagirs myself, to visit K'Sheyna, a Tayledras Clan. It was quite a shock to see a bondbird here in Kata'shi'na'in, without a Tayledras along. What Clan is Kree from?"  
  
I looked back at Kree. :K'Vala,: he said, only able to give one word in his bliss of being scratched.  
  
"I see," said Li'ahe, thoughtfully. "Thank you for your time."  
  
This seemed to be all she would say for now, but I had a niggling feeling that I hadn't seen the last of Li'ahe. And I hadn't-her parting words were, "I may want to speak with you again, sometime."  
  
Kree launched into the air as soon as we left the building, and I went back to the bazaar with rather more to think about than I had left with.  
  
------------------------------------------------  
  
And here is your chapter. I hope you liked! Reviews make me write faster!  
  
~Fireblade K'Chona 


	18. The Plot Thickens Again!

Disclaimer: Don't own Velgarth, and I just realized that last chapter's disclaimer was odd. No, I don't own Mercedes Lackey, either. She belongs to herself. I do, however, own the Wanderers and our main characters.  
  
And here is an apology for the delay! Real life got in the way. I had to apply to high schools, take finals...wow. My life is busy. So...I'll make this chapter extra-long! Will six, seven pages on Word be enough?...well, that's what you're getting!  
  
Hmm. Have...pie of your choice, and fresh strawberries with whipped cream!  
  
There are rather a lot of reviewers to thank. You can skip to the --------- dashes, if you like.  
  
Cerulean Sky: No, you didn't sound like a bondbird. Much.  
  
Cat McD: What about K'Vala did you not expect?...  
  
Hawk: You can't count on anyone if you can't count on your Company. Unless you're a freelancer, in which case you don't count on anyone. But Tweets is not a freelancer.  
  
Queen's Own: Here's your update. Albeit a bit delayed.  
  
Faeborn2930: Here is more.  
  
Delphine Pryde: Um...thanks.  
  
Shahanna: No, you can't...but Kree will violently attack anyone who suggests Liluye kidnapped him. Muahaha.  
  
Airotciv: Yeah...she's a freaker-outer. Frayley's rather impatient as well.  
  
Prettykittyoreo: Here's more.  
  
Danilion: See chapter 17 for a description of Kree. I don't really want to type it all out again.  
  
Badgerwolf: Send them to a Vale? Well...I have something in mind, but I'll say no more than that.  
  
Ssjbookgirl: Didn't I e-mail you about your story?  
  
Cookxenya: Here is your new chappie.  
  
The Chaotic Ones: You can stop poking me now...  
  
Terryie: Yay! Thank you!  
  
Paige: Um...this is...sometime around Oathbound. But it doesn't really matter, so long as it isn't near the Mage-storms.  
  
Lightning Rain: I know...hehe...the shaman is cool. As for Helia being attracted-saying nothing! Nope. You'll just have to suffer with everyone else. :P  
  
Kathleen McCrory: Uh...this did take a while...sorry!  
  
Muse responsible: Rrissa!  
  
And Kaiya is head of all the scouts. Like Tarma in Oathbreakers, she makes a point of getting drunk with each scout at least once, to learn what makes them tick. Muahaha.  
  
[thoughts] :Mindspeech:  
  
Onto the story!  
  
------------------------------------------------  
  
We stayed for several days at Kata'shi'na'in, enjoying ourselves thoroughly. Jaonsen in particular required a reputation-both for getting drunk, and for having a taste for wenching. He received quite a lot of teasing from all of our scout-group, from Necia in particular.  
  
Even as everyone else enjoyed themselves, I couldn't seem to find it in myself to be as happy as everyone else. Of course, I knew perfectly well why.  
  
I looked up at Helia from my musings across the table. She was involved in an animated debate with Leon, waving her hands around good-naturedly and insisting on her point of view.  
  
Kree was settled on the table. The innkeeper had blanched upon seeing him, but my entire scouting group-to my embarrassment-had insisted on his presence. But at the same time, I was glad for their vehemence-it meant that I was not looked askance at, at least among the scouting-groups, and it meant that Kree was fully accepted as the thinking bird he clearly was.  
  
Kree, at the moment, was nibbling daintily on a scrap of rabbit Necia was feeding him and luxuriating in the attention.  
  
"But-but-"Helia spluttered as Leon drove home his point. "But-my way is better!"  
  
The entire table dissolved in laughter at her weak response. Even Helia smiled ruefully. "I entered into this knowing I was going to lose," she said, throwing up her hands, "But in compensation, I demand a drink!"  
  
Leon waved for a serving-maid, whom Jaonsen winked at as she brought another beer. She scowled at him. This brought a tirade of ribald jokes from most of the table...but not from me.  
  
I sipped at my beer, caught up in my own thoughts, one hand in Kree's feathers as I preened him absentmindedly. I watched Helia taunting Jaonsen...and she set a hand on his shoulder.  
  
My stomach twisted, and I took a huge gulp of beer to settle it, draining the tankard. A servingman filled it as I held it up, and I took another gulp. Kree roused slightly and looked at me, tilting his head. :Why stomach twisty?: he wanted to know.  
  
I shook my head. "Nothing..." I murmured, staring at Helia, then realizing what I was doing and looking away.  
  
This brought my eyes to Jaonsen, who wasn't much better. Instead of looking after the servingmaid, he looked back at Helia, holding her gaze. "What?" he asked, innocently. "The servingmaid doesn't seem to want me." He pouted.  
  
Helia laughed and patted his arm, but did not say anything. Jaonsen's eyes turned hopeful. "You still love me, right?" he said, his expressive brown eyes wide.  
  
I choked, and coughed hard as Necia pounded me on the back. Kree gave me a dry glare, then settled, grumbling slightly in his throat. Helia didn't even glance at me, but raised her eyebrows at Jaonsen. "My poor neglected fellow," she said, "We shall have to take care of that."  
  
Frayley, who had been sitting quietly, looked at me.  
  
Fiercely, I shoved my emotions deep under the metaphorical rug and nodded to him, though I could not speak. [It's not my business,] I thought, fiercely, [It's none of my business who she sleeps with. None.]  
  
But still...I shoved that thought away as well. The innkeeper was hovering near us. I stood, unable to take it any longer. "I can see our poor fellow is strained over Kree," I said, setting some coppers and, in my distraction, a silver on the table. "I'll just take him...yes. I'll take him. Come on, bird." I held out my arm. Kree hopped onto the gauntlet and held still as I went to the door of the tavern. Taking the staff, I transferred him to that as I walked back to camp.  
  
As soon as I made it into the cool night air, my eyes blurred. Blinking hard, I walked steadily into the night, my face betraying none of the emotions that twisted and yanked at each other inside of me.  
  
I let Kree take flight as I reached the edge of our camp and wove my way through the tent-setup until I found mine and Helia's. Crouching in front of our firepit, I poked the embers and added some more wood. The blaze crackled as it returned to a respectable size. I stared into it, not knowing what to do now...  
  
The head of the scouts, Officer Kaiya, sat down across from me. "Hello," she said, "Have anything to do tonight?"  
  
I shrugged morosely.  
  
Kaiya leaned back onto her elbows. I watched her, for lack of anything else to do. "You're the one with the hawk, right?" she said, casually. I nodded. "You said something about him being bound to you. What's that about? The only bond I have any experience with is the Oath and my marriage vow to Jesen."  
  
I tilted my head and let my neck-joints pop. "We're bound mind-to-mind," I said at last, "We can speak to each other mind-to-mind, or I can ride in his body. I suppose he could in mine, but he's never expressed a desire to."  
  
Kaiya nodded slowly. "Would you like to go get drinks?" she offered.  
  
[What else is there to do?...] I wondered. [Besides, getting good and drunk might help me forget.] I nodded.  
  
We went back into Kata'shi'na'in, but instead of the tavern the rest of the Wanderers were in-including Helia-Kaiya showed me to a small, quiet tavern uptown.  
  
She said, "Drinks on me," and slapped two silver pieces on the bar. I stared at them-those pieces would buy more than enough beer to get us both thoroughly drunk.  
  
But...I wanted to get drunk. Very drunk.  
  
Kaiya threw back her head and swallowed half the tankard. "That's good," she said, "Actually, the beer's bad, but it's cold, at least."  
  
I took a sip. It was rough, but I didn't mind. I took a gulp or two.  
  
"So...tell me about yourself," said Kaiya.  
  
I paused for a moment, thinking. [She's going to get drunk with me,] I realized through the beer I had already drained, [Well...]  
  
I sent a thought to Kree. He was awake, and was watching a dice-game with interest. :Kree...I'm going to get drunk. If I start talking, will you watch what I'm saying for me?:  
  
Kree listened to me. :You want me to stop talk about wish-mate and love?: he said.  
  
:Perceptive, Kree, perceptive. If I start talking about Helia...stop me. Mentally. Otherwise...let me talk. Thanks. I'll screen you out when I go to bed, so you won't receive my headache,: I added.  
  
Kree sent a brief mental caress of assent and returned to watching the dice- game. His presence in the back of my mind was reassuring-I knew he wouldn't let my tongue flap on anything important. I smiled at Kaiya and took another gulp. "I grew up on a farm. It was crowded there-all my family was there all the time. The tribe was big and loud-everyone loved each other, but it was so big, someone would have to go eventually. You know how it is," I added.  
  
Kaiya nodded. "And?..." she prompted.  
  
"Well...Kendra went to White Winds, and Jemmy went to be Healer-trained, but there were still too many people around. I was bored, so I left the farm life and went into the Pelagirs. Stupid thing to do-I met Kree, and joined the Wanderers."  
  
"So that's the story of your life," replied Kaiya, meditatively. She took another swig of her beer.  
  
I drained the rest of my tankard and waved it around for a refill. A serving maid filled it again.  
  
"So," said Kaiya, after my long silence. "You seemed kind of upset tonight. Anything I can help with?"  
  
I went stiff. Taking another sip or two of my beer, I at last said, "No."  
  
[And she probably can't.]  
  
Kaiya regarded me over the rim of her tankard, dark eyes peering into my face. At last, she said, "There will always be those in a Company who do not get along. But major dissent divides it from within."  
  
There was some sort of advice, freely offered-tossed onto the table, as a matter of speaking. I thought about it for a moment, and with another twist of my stomach counted the amount of people my infatuation with Helia had affected.  
  
[It's affected Helia. She watches me now, and she's worried. Frayley, too. Me, of course, though I'm really the only one it should concern...and Kree.]  
  
Kaiya was still watching me as my eyebrows contracted. I realized what I was doing and took a large gulp of beer to cover it. The alcohol was blurring my senses pleasantly, and my brain was warm. Or at least it felt warm.  
  
Kaiya and I continued to talk, as both of us slowly became drunk. Kaiya was very good at guarding her tongue-I was less so, but Kree nudged me sharply every time I strayed too close to the topic I had asked him to watch for.  
  
"You seem to be close to your tentmate," said Kaiya at last-the question I had dreaded. "Helia, I believe. Good friends with her?"  
  
I nodded. "Good friends," I said, smiling in a way I hoped was foolishly, hoping she would get off the topic.  
  
False hope. "You seem to have had a bit of trouble lately," she said, "Can I help?"  
  
My drunkenness remained intact, but Kree warned me sharply. I Sent assent to him. "No," I said, "Thank you."  
  
Kaiya moved on to safer topics, until we had drunk all the silvers had paid for. Every so often, she would shoot another question about Helia, and I thanked all the gods for Kree.  
  
As we left the tavern, I shielded between us, so he would not receive my headache. Going back to the camp, I stopped at a horse trough and dunked my head until I could think in straight lines, remembering how Helia detested drunkenness.  
  
When I crawled into our tent, she was not there. I sighed around a cold lump in my heart, but was too weary to do anything else but sleep-whatever Helia might be doing.  
  
--------------------------------------------------------  
  
The plot thickens again! Until next time! -runs to hide from murderous reviewers- Remember, if you kill me, you'll never know what happens! Eep!  
  
Reviews make the author happy!  
  
-Fireblade K'Chona 


	19. Now is the Time

Disclaimer: I don't own Velgarth, I don't own bondbirds, I don't own Rethwellan or the Shi'na'in. I do own the Wanderers. And Kree. Yup.  
  
I'll reviewer-thank at the bottom.  
  
And I'll revamp this story in Quickedit sometime.  
  
Muse responsible: Rrissa!  
  
[thoughts] :Mindspeech:  
  
----------------------------------------------  
  
I awoke the next morning in my tent, and to my surprise found Helia in her own bedroll beside me. Something in my heart eased as I watched her sleep, and my hangover was temporarily forgotten. I moved to the tent flaps, opening them to clear the slightly stuffy tent. As the sunlight streamed through, Helia awakened.  
  
She opened her eyes and stared at the ceiling of the tent, then closed them with a groan. "Oh, gods."  
  
"Hangover?" I asked, remembering the night before and the drinking the mercs had been doing.  
  
"Yup," managed Helia, throwing an arm over her eyes.  
  
"I have willow somewhere," I croaked, my headache returning with a vengeance. I dug in my pack and came up with the packet. I held it in both hands and raised it up in mock-offering. "Oh mercenary tea of mercy," I said. Helia opened a bloodshot eye to glare at me, and I surrendered, going outside to poke the fire and start the tea.  
  
Thankfully, it took a very short time for the fire to flare up, then heat the water in the kettle. I found my mug, somewhere, and poured the tea, waiting for it to steep before saying, "It's ready."  
  
Helia crawled out of the tent, looking much the worse for wear. She sat beside me as I silently handed her the mug. She took a few sips from it and handed it back; I returned the favor. Between us, we soon finished the mug, then another mug, before we dumped the rest of the tea.  
  
"Bleah," I said, feeling rather better. "I hate that stuff."  
  
"Ugh. Me too," said Helia, "It's disgusting. But it does work. I feel a lot better, now."  
  
"The Healers know their stuff," I said, rolling my neck on my shoulder to crack my neck.  
  
There was a silence for a while, filled by the sleepy murmur of awakening mercs, someone practicing swordwork a few tent-rows away, and the song of morning-birds.  
  
"I saw your face when you left the tavern last night," said Helia, looking straight at me. "This is...what...five times you've either changed the subject or avoided the subject of love?"  
  
I gulped. I'd never been that good a liar, and the look she was giving me seemed to pierce straight through me.  
  
:Now is the time,: said Kree, helpfully, from his perch in a tree at the edge of the camp.  
  
:I didn't know you were listening,: I replied, startled.  
  
:Now is the time!: insisted Kree. :If you let it pass...:  
  
He trailed off. I bit my lip, thinking. If I let this chance pass, then what would I do? Live a lie for the rest of my life? I was miserable already, and I didn't know how much more I could take before I cracked. I remembered what Kaiya had said the night before-"Dissension weakens a Company."  
  
If this wasn't dissension, what was? I could see the hurt in Helia's eyes as I forced myself to meet her gaze.  
  
[I never knew this hurt her as much as it hurts me,] I realized. [What have I been doing to her?...]  
  
I blinked, then swallowed.  
  
I don't know what it was that made me do it. Maybe it was the remnants of drunkenness from the night before, maybe it was my dissipating hangover...hells, it may even have been Kree, exasperated with the way I had been acting. I didn't even remember moving, but suddenly my lips were on hers.  
  
I realized what I was doing a split second too late, and tried to pull away, but-  
  
But-  
  
Helia wouldn't let me go.  
  
------------------------------------------------------  
  
I know that is the shortest chapter in the history of this fic, but I think this is the best possible ending to the chapter, and I tried to make it longer! No, this isn't the end of the fic-not by any means. I have many evil plans for the Wanderers. Muahaha. –grin-  
  
Hope you enjoyed!  
  
Thanks to Queen's Own, Cerulean Sky, Hawk, Lurks In Shadows, and marauder3lives!  
  
Kathleen McCrory: Yup. She did take a long, long time. I decided to have mercy on all of you poor readers. And Liluye, for that matter!  
  
Shahanna: Alcohol to pry into other's lives. Muahaha. Sometimes I love being evil, I really do.  
  
Ssjbookgirl: No, they are NOT lifebonded! I want to make that PERFECTLY clear. They are NOT lifebonded. I want to write a love story without one, for once, you see. (  
  
Oceanmate: You are the one who startled me into writing this chapter. Thank you!  
  
Pies all around! Celebrate the fluffiness!  
  
-Fireblade K'Chona 


End file.
